The Support You Deserve

Dr. Kathryn E. Wiley is an R1-trained education policy scholar whose career has been built inside some of the most research-intensive environments in the country. As a PhD-level researcher working at the intersections of educational equity, organizational theory, and civil rights, she understands the pressures, expectations, and unwritten rules that shape graduate life in Tier-1 institutions. She has mentored dozens of doctoral students—many juggling careers, families, and graduate school.

Her coaching is grounded in  methodological expertise, clarity of thought, social emotional support, and a commitment to helping scholars discern their own path, passions, and research.​ A first-generation college student who began at a community college, she knows firsthand that doctoral success is not just about skill—it’s about access, decoding the hidden curriculum, and having someone willing to “pull back the curtain” on graduate school norms, expectations, and culture.

Because she has navigated the distance between community college and R1 doctoral halls, she coaches with a rare combination of empathy and precision: she sees students’ brilliance, understands their barriers, and equips them with the strategies to move through institutions that weren’t designed with them in mind.​ Done Dissertations is an extension of this commitment. Dr. Wiley believes that every scholar deserves transparent guidance, high-quality feedback, and a coach who can demystify the process while empowering them to own their passions and voice.