The Rocky Mountains are where Kate discovered her love for nature and eventually her desire to devote her career to protecting the future of our climate and communities. Kate completed her Bachelor’s Degree in psychology and sociology from the University of Colorado - Boulder, and went on to complete her Master’s Degree in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver. In between her studies, Kate found herself far from home, working as an outdoor guide in Hong Kong, studying and teaching yoga in India, volunteering in Indonesia, and conducting research in Puerto Rico. Throughout her studies, travels, and a year long internship at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Kate developed a passion for empowering grassroots efforts in combating the climate crisis and navigating the energy transition. For Kate’s final capstone project in grad school, she chose to research community engagement as a key strategy to designing and implementing energy transitions that would ensure environmental and social justice. In her new role at CORE, Kate’s goal is to make her vision a reality by getting her hands dirty in the grassroots efforts of the Roaring Fork Valley and contributing to a better future for our precious natural areas and beloved communities. When she’s not in the office, Kate is most likely to be found on top of the mountain, in the yoga studio, or at a Billy Strings show.