Born in 1946 in Seattle, Washington, Kathy has spent most her life in Bellevue, Washington, just east of the city. She is mother to Steve, Rick and Lisa, and grandmother of Crete (CJ), Sydney, Bella, Symone, Maya and Myles.

Kathy’s careers have ranged from orthodontic technician to home-based wedding cake baker and decorator while her kids were young. Later, an opportunity came up to help manage a hockey team, and eventually Kathy became the PR and Marketing Director. During the 80’s, she also freelanced as a stage manager for major network broadcasts of Seattle-based NFL, NBA and college football games, traveling for Superbowl and Pro-Bowl games and an occasional special event. Her final career was another home-based business organizing, coordinating, and staging major sporting events. Long retired, her life now centers around family and friends.

In 2016, however, fate intervened and Kathy received her calling to do whatever she could to write the book that would take her family's stories from lore to historical account. As the granddaughter of the aviation pioneer who would breathe life into the fleet of planes that evolved to become Alaska Airlines, Kathy knew that all the aviation exploits of her grandfather circulating amongst the family were based on reality. It was just going to take some time and effort to prove it. After years of research, interviews, documentation, photos, and meetings with Alaska Airlines personnel, the true story is ready to tell in her book The History of Alaska Airlines - the first 11 years.

Kathy uses proceeds from her book to purchase books for the libraries and high schools of Alaska.