Katherine is the author of the critically-acclaimed young adult contemporary novels, HOW TO BE BRAVE (St. Martin’s Press, 2015) and THE BEST POSSIBLE ANSWER (St. Martin’s Press, 2016). She co-created YOGA ELEONORA on PillowFortTV, and she co-wrote the picture book, A RAINBOW INSIDE MY BODY, with Vanitha Swaminathan, illustrated by Holly Hatam (Viking, 2024).
With a foundation in the humanities and a deep commitment to evidence-based integrative practices, Katherine bridges the gap between science, storytelling, and community connection. She holds an M.A. in English from the University of California, Irvine, and an M.S. in Kinesiology with a specialization in Integrative Wellness from Point Loma Nazarene University. Her graduate research included focus on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) interventions for pediatric anxiety and depression, blending her expertise in science, mindfulness, and education.
As a registered yoga teacher, an ACE-certified personal trainer, an ACE-certified health coach, and a newly-certified (2024) Embodied Equity educator, Katherine is passionate about bodily self-determination and health equity. She lives with chronic, invisible illness, and as such, she believes in holistic and inclusive approaches to expression, healing, and growth for all. In June 2023, her visual art piece, YOU WERE BORN OF LOVE, was selected by glendaleOUT for their exhibit, “MAPPING MY QUEER: Body Mapping Our Queer Identity," hosted by the Glendale Library, Arts & Culture. She's grateful for holistic opportunities to meditate on her body’s histories, presence, and healing futures through her written and visual works. She also writes romance for adults under a pen name.
She has served as a board member for the Children's Literature Council of Southern California and as a volunteer for We Need Diverse Books. Honored as PCC's 2019 Ally of the Year and recipient of the 2021 Above and Beyond Award, she champions marginalized students. As a Voices Opposing Injustice through Community-Engaged Scholarship Learning (VOICES) Faculty Fellow and co-recipient of the 2024 Community Excellence Grant, funded by a gift from MacKenzie Scott,, Katherine explores her graduate-level research on Contemplative Environmentalism and place-based community storytelling to enhance community health and connection in partnership with her colleagues, students, and community organizations during her daily work at Pasadena City College.
Interested in how storytelling can (re)connect and (re)define worlds, she believes in an inclusive, empathetic, and loving future. Outside of her work, she enjoys gardening, fluffy animals, all things Halloween, and drawing on kitchen walls.
Stay in the know regarding her latest updates, including of the forthcoming collection, HOW TO COME OUT TO THE JASMINE FIRST: ON WRITING AND LOVING IN THE NATURAL WORLD, ed. Dr. K.E. Ogden (2025).