A Legacy of Dedication and Innovation at Country Day

Kathy Paff’s connection to Cincinnati Country Day School started when the first of her three “lifer” children, Victoria `14, began attending the school. But her role quickly grew from parent to active contributor within the community. In 2003, she became the volunteer manager of the former school spirit shop, the Country Cottage, and later began substitute teaching in Lower School, especially enjoying her time with the Pre-Kindergarteners. She went on to serve as the welcoming, friendly face at the main reception front desk for eight years before stepping into her current role as advancement coordinator in 2022. No matter the role, Kathy has left her mark on Country Day in meaningful ways. Here’s a closer look at some of the standout moments and accomplishments from her time on campus:

1.      Country Cottage – Prior to Kathy taking over as manager, you couldn’t walk into the store; instead, someone stood at the door and brought things to you. Well, Kathy was inspired to change things. “My mom used to say, ‘People want to touch and feel things that they want to buy.’ So, I opened the store completely so that it would be like a natural shopping experience.”

2.      Front Desk Receptionist – Did you know Kathy played a key role in shaping one of Country Day’s most important safety measures? In 2014, when the school began locking all building doors on campus, she helped roll out a new sign-in system for campus visitors. Kathy not only helped implement the process but also took the lead in educating faculty, staff, and families on what the new system meant: a blue nametag signaled a trusted guest free to move about campus, while a red nametag meant the visitor should be accompanied, usually because they weren’t yet familiar to the Country Day community.

3.      CountryDate – CountryDate has become one of Kathy’s favorite events to plan, and it shows! Since joining the Advancement Office, she’s played a major role in transforming the event from a formal black-tie fundraiser into a more relaxed and inclusive community celebration. Sally (Dwyer) Hernandez `05, who’s worked alongside Kathy for the past two years as an event co-chair, says, “Kathy is wonderful at planning events because she’s super creative and never afraid to think outside the box. No idea is out of reach for her, and that makes it a blast working with her.”

4.      Hall of Fame Inductions – Kathy has also become an essential part of planning the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame and Arts Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. She puts great care into making each ceremony feel distinct and meaningful. “One of my favorite things about these events is learning the stories of each alum,” Kathy says. “I try not to make any two ceremonies the same. I want every class of inductees to feel special when they return to campus to be honored.”

5.      Homecoming – When it comes to Homecoming, Kathy truly goes above and beyond to ensure a fantastic experience for returning alumni. “I love Homecoming weekend because we get to welcome back so many alumni, and we all get to celebrate Country Day together. It is so wonderful to listen to all their amazing stories and how much of an impact Country Day had on them.” And with the Centennial just around the corner, we can’t wait to see what thoughtful and creative ideas Kathy has in store for the upcoming celebration – stay tuned!