Meet Kat

White River Kat!

Unapologetically (and apologetically) me.

These days, I’m proud of who I am and my journey. A 38 year old mom, wife, teacher, artist, and someone who has lived the struggles I’m asking you to let me help solve. I have worked across several industries that has helped hone my problem solving, planning, and crisis management skills: from staffing a kitchen as a chef while creating scalable, sustainable, budget conscious menus, to creating relevant, engaging lesson plans and teaching pre-k, to vetting, onboarding and facilitating a vendor market at an event attended by over 70,000 people. I know I can handle whatever life throws at me and I’m ready to put it to use for our community.

I have been fighting for my life since before I was born. My mother had cancer when she found out she was pregnant. She knew she had choices — and at the time, her doctor actually refused to see the pregnancy through, claiming it would kill us both. So my mother made a choice. She found a different doctor, post-poned her chemo treatments, had me, then beat the cancer. The medical bills were crippling. We relied on mutual aid and government assistance while getting back on our feet.

At five years old, I developed my first autoimmune disorder and the system meant to help us became a nightmare. I spent years recovering, while my family once again fell on hard times. Swamped again, with a crippling debt. We celebrated the holidays that year thanks to my first grade class donating food and gifts.

Then, at twenty, I had my daughter. I was not prepared to be a mother — as so many aren’t. I knew it would be hard, but that’s what I wanted.  There were times I worked three jobs just to justify the price of childcare. We had “blackout parties” — board games by candlelight when we couldn’t make the electric bill. Eventually, I found stable work that paid enough.

I completed our family when I met and married my amazing husband and had our son. We’ve managed to get by, even built up savings at times. But the reality is, we still struggle. Food doesn’t stretch like it used to. Medical bills keep climbing. Utilities keep rising. More and more financial pressure is piling onto families who are already doing everything they can.

All of this to say — I should have spoken up sooner, shared my thoughts, took action. That is why I am running for White River Trustee. Not only to help our community and ensure families have someone to turn to in times of need, but to show younger generations that no one can stop you from stepping up and being the change you want to see in the world. If you want to make a difference, you have to be the difference.