Most recently, Katherine served as Marine Science Magnet Coordinator at New River Middle School where she successfully oversaw the implementation of curriculum in the classrooms, developed marketing strategies, and built partnerships within the community to create field experiences for her students that expanded their marine science education.
Katherine grew up in Minnesota before receiving her degree in Marine Biology from Long Island University (LIU) Southampton in New York. In her undergraduate work, she focused on coral reef ecology with summer research in Hawaii. She then began her career working as a marine biologist and educator in Curacao which solidified her love for marine science and became a PADI Open Water Instructor.
In 2002, she moved to Fort Lauderdale, FL and pursued her master’s in marine science and education at Nova Southeastern University. In 2006, she also began teaching marine science at NewRiver Middle School (NRMS). From there she transitioned to become the Marine Magnet Coordinator and played a pivotal role in elevating the school and marine science program to become a National Certified Magnet School in 2018 and many distinctions over her 11 years in that role. With her past experiences in Marine Science research and education, this opportunity to build the blue economy in our region while taking care of our backyard is the exciting next step. Katherine is also involved in various committees including Plywood Regatta with the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) connecting students to the marine industry through the boat building challenge.