Growing up, both of Kate’s parents were newspaper reporters, and family dinner conversations often included discussions of events happening at the local, state, and national levels. She learned early on that the policies our elected officials enact have powerful, long-lasting effects on communities and people. Kate’s first job was as a seventh-grade public school teacher in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood of Atlanta. After graduating from Harvard Law School, she worked as a judicial clerk in the federal courts; a legal consultant for states, school districts, colleges, and nonprofit organizations on efforts to improve outcomes for children and students; and as the Chief Legal Counsel at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education. Prior to joining the State House, Kate was a Melrose City Councilor-At-Large where she raised the bar for resident engagement, created and served as the liaison to the School Committee, and oversaw the City Council’s budget process.
In elementary school, Kate started a student petition to encourage McDonald’s to discontinue its use of Styrofoam. Her early commitment to sustainable practices has never waivered.
As a City Councilor, Kate supported ordinances aimed at curbing the use of plastic straws and polystyrene products. She consistently championed the conservation and sustainability efforts of the Energy Commission and Zero Waste groups.
As State Representative, she strongly supports investments in Net Zero initiatives aimed at tackling greenhouse gas emissions and strives for stronger state-local and regional partnerships to address this existential crisis. She has cosponsored many bills that support sustainability, electrification, and decarbonization efforts. She also frequently partners with community based organizations to host recycling drives and other events that enable people to learn more about local, state, and national initiatives and empower them to take action.