Katie (McNeish '16) Hill

When Katie (McNeish ‘16) Hill graduated from Oakcrest, she attended UCLA to study video game design. Now she is in her third year at the University of Virginia School of Law. These two areas of study, while seemingly unrelated, have given her “the ability to creatively solve complex problems and interact with a variety of interesting people,” she says, something that certainly began years before while a student at Oakcrest. 

Katie was involved in theatre and competed on the swim team during her high school years, also serving the school as the White Team Spirit Captain. Some of her favorite memories include the friendships she formed while at Oakcrest and even traveling to Spain for the beatification of Blessed Don Alvaro. 

When looking back at some of the Oakcrest moments that influenced her the most, Katie says that her time with teacher and mentor Ms. Holly Salls is particularly memorable. 

“She really encouraged me to critically think about my beliefs and views, a skill that has made me a stronger legal scholar and Catholic,” Katie said. “Thanks to teachers like Ms. Salls, Oakcrest gave me a firm foundation in seeking truth and justice, as well as a recognition of my potential to truly impact the world around me.

“Oakcrest formed me deeply in my faith and gave me a place to discover who I was as a person. Although college presented many challenges and unique experiences, my foundation was so strong that I navigated those situations confidently. Today, I am still close with many of the friends I met in college, even though we each come from a variety of backgrounds and have differing beliefs.”

This coming year, Katie is serving as co-president of the Oakcrest Alumnae Association leadership team with her sister-in-law Tara (Hill ’11) Van Zoren. What inspired Katie to give back to Oakcrest with her time and dedication, she said, was the confidence in knowing that Oakcrest “was a space that gave me the opportunity to grow and introduced me to some of my best friends.” 

“I want to make sure that today’s students are given that same opportunity,” she said. “And I want to continue to be involved in and give back to a community filled with my friends and family.” 

When she graduates from law school in Spring 2024, Katie and her husband will return back to the DC area to raise their first child (a girl due November 2023) as Katie works as an attorney at a law firm in DC.