CELO
Learn more about Ms. O'Halloran - an educator, wellness advocate, and community leader dedicated to the individuals, families, and organizations she serves.
CELO
Learn more about Ms. O'Halloran - an educator, wellness advocate, and community leader dedicated to the individuals, families, and organizations she serves.
Kathleen M. O'Halloran is an education, wellness, and community engagement professional with experience spanning nonprofit leadership, healthcare philanthropy, public education, disability services, and higher education governance.
Beginning her career in the nonprofit sector, Kathleen advanced into executive leadership roles with Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County and City of Hope National Medical Center, where she led community engagement, partnership development, fundraising, and public outreach initiatives.
A later transition into public education expanded her expertise in disability services, behavioral health, educational access, and systems navigation.
Motivated by lived experience and a commitment to educational access for all children, Kathleen served California public schools of Los Angeles County for nearly a decade.
Today, as Founder and CEO of Celo Learning, Kathleen works with individuals with disabilities, families, educators, service providers, and community organizations to support educational, vocational, social, and independent living outcomes. Her work includes direct services, professional learning, community education, and partnership development.
Relationship Building
Building authentic relationships across diverse groups and maintaining them over time.
Putting community needs at the center of decision-making and seeking mutual benefit.
Acting with integrity, transparency, and follow-through.
Bringing people together across organizations, sectors, and perspectives to solve problems.
Ensuring diverse voices are welcomed, respected, and represented.
Understanding community priorities before proposing solutions.
Caring for relationships, resources, and opportunities entrusted to the organization.
Removing barriers to participation, information, services, and opportunity.
Responding thoughtfully to emerging needs and changing circumstances.
Valuing the experiences, expertise, and dignity of every stakeholder.
Remaining curious, adaptable, and open to feedback.
Focusing on outcomes that improve quality of life and strengthen communities.
EDUCATION, WELLNESS & COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
Through Celo Learning, Kathleen works to improve post-high school outcomes for individuals with disabilities, and from all walks of life, by providing accessible person-centered transition planning services that help individuals explore, develop, and pursue meaningful goals related to education and training, employment, social engagement, community participation, and independent living. Working collaboratively with individuals, families, educators, and community partners, she helps strengthen skills, expand opportunities, and provides consultation, community education, and outreach.
Kathleen is a California credentialed Education Specialist with Autism Authorization and a Certified Wellness Coach II designated by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). Her work emphasizes collaboration, self-determination, and strengthening access to opportunities that support quality of life for individuals with disabilities and diverse support needs.
NONPROFIT, HEALTHCARE & EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Beginning her nonprofit career in 2005 while attending college, Kathleen spent more than a decade advancing through progressively responsible leadership roles in community engagement, volunteer management, resource development, strategic partnerships, and program operations.
She advanced into Director-level leadership with Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County, where she worked alongside the executive team to expand community partnerships, volunteer engagement, fundraising initiatives, advocacy efforts, and organizational programs. During this period, she was admitted to the Executive Master of Leadership program at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, where she further developed her expertise in leadership, organizational strategy, and public-sector collaboration.
Kathleen later served as Director of Development, Philanthropy, and External Relations at City of Hope National Medical Center. Her work included strategic partnership development, community engagement, donor relations, volunteer leadership, public outreach, and initiatives supporting healthcare access and philanthropy throughout Southern California.
PUBLIC SERVICE, DISABILITY ADVOCACY & EDUCATIONAL EQUITY
In 2016, a period of family caregiving and exposure to disability-related systems prompted an unexpected professional transition. What began as a temporary pause from executive leadership evolved into nearly a decade of meaningful public service and professional growth within California's public education system.
As Kathleen navigated complex healthcare, educational, and disability systems on behalf of her household, she gained firsthand insight into the challenges many individuals and families encounter when seeking services, support, and opportunity. These experiences deepened her understanding of disability, access, and quality of life, ultimately shaping the next chapter of her professional journey.
Motivated by both personal experience and a growing commitment to educational equity, Kathleen completed nearly 80 semester units of post-graduate study beyond her master's degree, earned California credentials in both General and Special Education, and developed significant expertise in behavioral health, disability services, educational access, transition planning, stakeholder engagement, and multidisciplinary team leadership.
From 2017 through 2025, Kathleen served California public schools in special education, inclusion, wellness, and transition-focused leadership roles. She became known for advancing inclusive learning environments, implementing social-emotional wellness initiatives, supporting complex student populations, and building collaborative systems that improve outcomes for students and families.
CONVENING PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY
Kathleen's leadership is informed by a systems perspective that recognizes the interconnected nature of healthcare, education, housing, workforce development, and disability services. Drawing from experience across sectors, she specializes in building partnerships that improve quality of life and expand access to opportunity.
In addition to leading Celo Learning, Kathleen serves on the USC Alumni Association Board of Governors as the appointed representative for the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and participates in the California Department of Public Health Safe Schools Team. She is also a member of the Council for Exceptional Children Division on Career Development and Transition and the American Psychological Association Division 25: Behavior Analysis, where she was elected to Teacher status in 2025.
Kathleen earned an Executive Master of Leadership from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Arizona, College of Social and Behavioral Science.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & PUBLIC IMPACT
Kathleen's commitment to education began long before entering the classroom. Early in her career, she worked in community education, outreach, and public engagement through nonprofit organizations, helping individuals and families access information, resources, and opportunities that improve quality of life.
As a nonprofit coordinator with LEAP Arts in Education, Kathleen supported efforts to expand access to arts education for students attending California public schools. Her work included community outreach, program coordination, partnership development, volunteer engagement, event support, and stakeholder communication designed to connect schools, educators, artists, and community partners.
Later, while serving in leadership with Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County, she founded the Habitat for Humanity Homeowner Education Program of Ventura County. In this role, she developed curriculum, coordinated subject matter experts and community volunteers, secured sponsorships, and facilitated educational programming designed to increase financial literacy, civic engagement, homeownership readiness, and long-term family stability.
Together, these experiences provided a foundation in community education, public engagement, learning across the lifespan, stakeholder relations, workforce and volunteer training, curriculum development, public speaking, and program facilitation. They also established a lifelong commitment to expanding access to opportunity through education and community partnerships.
Across every stage of her career, Kathleen has remained committed to convening people, organizations, and resources in ways that expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and improve quality of life. Whether supporting access to arts education, preparing first-time homeowners, mobilizing volunteers, advancing healthcare philanthropy, or helping students and families navigate complex systems, her work reflects a belief that meaningful change happens when people come together around a shared purpose.
Postsecondary education is recognized as a fundamental social determinant of health, with differences in educational attainment contributing to persistent disparities in adult health, well-being, and quality of life (Johnson et al., 2016; Link & Phelan, 1995; Schüz et al., 2020).
Meaningful postsecondary outcomes, however, are about much more than admission to college. Successful transitions to adulthood occur when individuals have opportunities to explore their interests, identify strengths, consider career options, and develop goals related to education and training, employment, independent living, social relationships, and community participation. These interconnected domains shape lifelong health, well-being, and quality of life.
Research suggests that career development begins long before adulthood. Intentional opportunities for career exploration and career development learning foster self-awareness, confidence, motivation, and a sense of purpose while establishing a strong foundation for educational attainment, employment, and lifelong well-being (Porfeli & Lee, 2012; Watson & McMahon, 2008; Watson et al., 2016; Lapan et al., 2017; Crause et al., 2017).
Meaningful postsecondary outcomes and lifelong quality of life are strengthened when individuals are afforded developmentally appropriate opportunities to experience self-determination, explore careers, and access coordinated supports across the lifespan.
Participation is central to this process. Improving outcomes requires attention to both the individual and the systems in which they live. Individuals, families, educators, employers, and community organizations each contribute essential strengths and perspectives, and meaningful progress depends upon their ability to work together. Through dialogue, collaboration, and shared responsibility, communities can strengthen opportunities for participation and support individuals in pursuing lives of meaning and purpose.
At Celo Learning, consideration of the whole system has led us to recognize that improving outcomes requires serving the whole person. We support individuals with disabilities and people from all walks of life in developing a vision for their future and building the skills, relationships, and community supports needed to navigate barriers. We also partner with families, schools, and community organizations to recognize, strengthen, and coordinate supports that foster self-determination and expand opportunities for meaningful participation across the lifespan.
High-quality transition planning is about more than writing goals. It is about helping people imagine, prepare for, and pursue the lives they want to lead. Through direct support services, community education, and outreach, Celo Learning works collaboratively with individuals, families, educators, employers, and community partners to improve post-high school outcomes and strengthen lifelong health, well-being, and quality of life.
"Meaningful postsecondary outcomes and lifelong quality of life are strengthened when individuals are afforded developmentally appropriate opportunities to experience self-determination, explore careers, and access coordinated supports across the lifespan."
— Kathleen M. O'Halloran, Founder, Celo Learning