37 | Education: Southern Methodist University | Company: Compass
Katherine Sundby uses her energies to enrich the lives of others in meaningful and impactful ways. As a licensed associate with Compass, she helps families navigate the deeply personal journey of purchasing their homes.
“Clients trust you to guide them through one of the biggest decisions of their lives and to help them find the place where they will celebrate holidays, raise families, and experience life’s everyday moments,” Sundby said. “Being part of that process is something I never take for granted.”
Serving her community has been important to Sundby since childhood. Their mother encouraged Sundby and her sister to volunteer and learn about organizations that assist people from different walks of life, impressing upon them that everyone deserves dignity, compassion, and a voice. Sundy’s mother also started a nonprofit in memory of her sister.
“Watching her dedicate her time and energy to helping others left a lasting impression on me,” Sundby said, “and continues to inspire the way I approach community involvement today.”
Prior to her career at Compass, Sundby worked in development at The First Tee of Greater Dallas, a nonprofit that builds character and empowers children and teens through the game of golf.
She later joined Elizabeth Toon Charities as executive director, where she helped lead a signature fundraising event and oversaw a community-wide grant program.
Sundby remains involved with Elizabeth Toon Charities. She is also a supporter of friends who have transformed their personal hardships into purpose, including Elizabeth Carlock Phillips, the founder of No More Victims, and Caitlin and Blake Bonner, who established Lila’s Light to honor the young daughter they lost at Camp Mystic and protect other vulnerable children and animals.
“Watching families transform unimaginable loss into purpose and service is both humbling and deeply motivating,” Sundby said, “and I feel privileged to help advance their work.”
What (or who) motivated you to get involved in the community?
My mom was my earliest example of what it means to serve your community. From a young age, she had my sister and me volunteering and learning about organizations helping people from all walks of life. She wanted us to understand that, regardless of zip code, age, race, or background, every person deserves dignity, compassion, and a voice.
In addition to being an attorney, she also started a nonprofit in memory of my sister. Watching her dedicate her time and energy to helping others left a lasting impression on me and continues to inspire the way I approach community involvement today.
What is your favorite part of your current job or community involvement?
Residential real estate is incredibly special because it’s about much more than a transaction. Buying a home can be stressful, but it’s also deeply personal. Clients trust you to guide them through one of the biggest decisions of their lives and to help them find the place where they will celebrate holidays, raise families, and experience life’s everyday moments. Being part of that process is something I never take for granted.
Are you where you thought you’d be when you graduated from high school?
Not even close. At that time, I thought I wanted to go into the music business, but I can confidently say I probably would have lasted about 0.2 seconds. Looking back, it’s probably a good thing that path never materialized.
What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
In middle school and high school, I ran a pretty steady babysitting service. I loved the families I worked for and spent countless afternoons and weekends with their kids.
Looking back, it taught me one of the most important lessons of my life: the value of trust. Parents were trusting me with the people most important to them. That responsibility stayed with me, and it’s something I’ve carried into my professional life, my friendships, and my family. It’s also something I talk about often with my boys.
Was there a “lightbulb moment” that led you to your career? If so, what was it?
A few years into my time at Compass, I received a handwritten note from a client thanking me for helping their family find their home. They wrote about how meaningful the experience had been and how excited they were to begin the next chapter of their lives there. That was a moment when it really clicked for me — this job is about far more than real estate. It’s about helping people build the backdrop for their lives and it is such a blessing to play a small role in that.
What accomplishment are you the proudest of and why?
Without question, my children. Being their mom is the greatest privilege of my life. Watching them grow, learn, and develop into kind and thoughtful people is something I’m endlessly grateful for.
Which leadership skills have been the most challenging for you to develop and why?
Delegation and boundary setting have probably been the most challenging for me. I tend to be very hands-on and want to be involved in every aspect of my transactions. Like I am sure is true for many other agents, it can also be difficult to fully “turn off” from work. I’m continually working on creating healthier boundaries so I can be present for my clients, my team, and my family. My husband would likely say that’s a work in progress.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing Dallas right now? If you had the connections and resources to change that, what would you do?
At the risk of sounding cliche, housing affordability is one of the biggest challenges facing Dallas right now. Over the past several years, prices have climbed rapidly across so many neighborhoods and price points. As someone working in residential real estate, I see firsthand how difficult it can be for families to stay in — or return to — the neighborhoods they love. If I had the resources, I would focus on thoughtful solutions that preserve the character of Dallas neighborhoods while creating more opportunities for families to remain in the communities where they grew up and hope to raise their own children.
If someone made a movie about your life, what would it be called and who would play you?
Probably something like Contracts, Carpools, and Controlled Chaos. As for who would play me, can I shoot for the moon and say my favorite — Emma Stone? She’s been a big favorite in our household lately thanks to her role in Spider-Man.
What is your favorite local restaurant or shop?
I love CABANA, CANARY, and Ellis Hill — three of my absolute favorites.
19. What’s on your bucket list?
Right now, my focus is raising strong, kind boys and continuing to grow my business. But someday I would love to travel to Southern Italy (a hint to my sweet husband) and take our boys and my godchildren on an African safari when they’re older.
What do you have in mind for after 40?
I’m not quite there yet, so I still have a few years to come up with a more insightful answer, right? For now, I hope to continue to grow my business, deepen my community involvement, and travel more with my family. We’ve truly hit the jackpot with our family and friends, and the more time we can spend with the people we love, the better. We’re incredibly grateful for such an amazing village.
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