Biography

Katie was raised in Mill Valley and graduated from Tamalpais High School in 1978. She attended Sonoma State University, receiving degrees in Liberal Studies and English. She worked as a freelance writer and journalist for more than 10 years, covering agriculture, regional business issues, telecommunications and media. For the past 17 years, Katie has lived in San Anselmo. She has three children - Kellam, 25, Jamie, 22, and Aiden, 15.

Katie’s engagement in public service long pre-dates her tenure with County government and is the foundation of her understanding of the depth of residents’ concerns for their neighborhoods, schools, community benefit organizations and open space. She served as a board director with the Sleepy Hollow Homeowners Association. Recognizing the need to galvanize the full community’s focus on educational funding gaps, needs and solutions, Katie co-founded YES: The Ross Valley Schools Foundation. YES is a community-based non-profit that coordinates fundraising and advocacy for public school programs and raises almost $1 million for all Ross Valley public schools. Katie provided key leadership in working with each of the individual schools’ representative groups to establish a vision, create trust, and develop the support, cooperation and collaboration of disparate groups for the benefit of all students.

Protection of Marin’s environmental resources is a core, long-standing value for Katie. Growing up surrounded by and actively engaged in the outdoors and environmental causes, Katie is committed to protection of our natural resources. She is a proud graduate of the 31st class of the Marin Environmental Forum, a renowned environmental leadership training program.

As Hal Brown’s long-term aide and as current District 2 Supervisor, Katie played key roles in a number of successful initiatives, most notably the establishment of the Ross Valley Watershed Preservation and Flood Protection Program. This initiative resolved a 30 year impasse to establishing a regional approach to chronic flooding in the Ross Valley. The solutions now available have the capacity for significant and multiple community benefits – not only flood protection, but also environmental restoration, recreation, community infrastructure improvements. Implementing the projects will require collaborative leadership and the ability to promote and sustain broad community involvement.

The full range of her experiences – a personal family history of deep community and environmental service, growing up in Marin, work as a journalist, personal commitment to community service, activities in County government – inform Katie’s understanding and working knowledge of the people, places and needs of Marin, reflect her love for this place, and underpin the drive to make a difference in and to protect the future of our County.

Work Experience

• 2011 – present: Supervisor, Marin County Board of Supervisors, District 2.
• 2004 – 2011: Administrative Aide to Marin County Supervisor Harold C. Brown, serving as lead staff on transportation, public works, public safety, and environmental issues and initiatives. Major accomplishments include successful initiatives on:
  • The Ross Valley Watershed Preservation and Flood Protection Program: resolution of 30-year impasse over region wide solution to chronic flooding in the Ross Valley, and created local funding stream to finance (and leverage financing) for improvements.
  • Ross valley Flood Notification System: establishment of County’s first Regional Flood Warning System.
  • County of Marin Green Commute Program: model program incentivizing employee adoption of alternative commute modes
  • Ride and Roll: student bus-pass program aimed at reducing school related traffic and creating a new generation of transit riders.
• 2003 – 04: Campaign Manager – Hal Brown for Supervisor 2004.
• 1984 – 1995: Freelance Writer / Journalist.
  • Features writer for the Petaluma Argus-Courier.
  • Columnist, features writer and staff writer for the Sonoma Marin Business Journal (now the North Bay Business Journal) on topics such as SBA lending, local banking, agricultural and wine industries, Americans with Disabilities, and the advertising / media industry.
  • Analyst and staff writer for Market Trim Tabs hedge fund newsletter, contributing articles on the telecommunications, as well as the oil and gas industries.

Community Service

• 2004 – 2005: Ross Valley Schools Strategic Planning Task Force
• 2000 – 2002: Co Founder / Co-Chair: Yes: The Ross Valley Schools Foundation
  • Organized and implemented transition of five separate Ross Valley School District fundraising entities to a district-wide foundation focused on raising funds for, and support of, at risk academic and enrichment programs and their equitable delivery to all district students.
  • Gained support, cooperation and collaboration of district administration, school staff, parent leadership and parent body from 1600 student district.
  • Developed mission, strategic plan and organization of 12 member working board, multiple fundraising and program liaison committees.
  • Foundation fundraising grew from under $100,000 to $450,000 in three years. The Yes Foundation currently raises over $850,000, representing 7% of total RVSD budget.
• 1999 – 2000: Ross Valley Community for Schools – Board of Directors
• 1998 – 1999: Sleepy Hollow Homes Association Board of Directors