Katherine Drago Luellen

About Katherine

Katherine Drago Luellen is a proven leader in arts enrollment with an unparalleled ability to understand and meet the needs of prospective students and their families. For over a decade, she has worked tirelessly to create partnerships, funding sources, and pathways for students to arts training programs. She has extensive knowledge of secondary and higher education admission practices, and a vast network of recruitment influencers around the globe. Katie previously served as Executive Dean of Enrollment Management at Interlochen Center for the Arts, Director of Admissions at Boston University School of Music, Director of Recruitment & Enrollment for Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, Assistant Dean of Admission & Student Services for Longy School of Music of Bard College, and Assistant Director of Admission/Music Admission Coordinator for the University of Puget Sound.

Katie has been a guest speaker with the Pacific Northwest Association of College Admission Counselors, Decision Desk U, Music Admission Roundtable, High Performing Educator Podcast, Parents League of NY, Independent Educational Consultants Association, Classical Singer, and Opera America. She also served on the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Board in Pittsburgh and New England and the Northwestern University Alumni Association Board in Pittsburgh and Boston.

An accomplished musician, Katie spent over 10 years performing professionally in opera, concert, and musical theatre, appearing with the Santa Fe Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Broadway National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera, and many more. She performed most recently in the title role of Tobias Picker’s Therese Raquin with Microscopic Opera in Pittsburgh and Mercedes in Carmen with Bay Chamber Concerts.

Katie holds degrees from Northwestern University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education from Vanderbilt University Peabody College.

My educational philosophy centers on fostering creativity, trust, and safety, emphasizing the critical role of collaboration, diversity, and innovation in shaping successful learners. Educators must inspire lifelong learning through a safe, self-critical environment encouraging risk-taking, critical thinking, and self-discovery. By providing the tools and space for experimentation and guided inquiry, we prepare students for a future of change and growth, ensuring they can apply their learning to real-world challenges.