2025 40 Under 40 Winners

Kate exceeded her annual fundraising goals by a wide margin, securing nearly $4 million in total gifts last year through 226 meaningful contacts, 136 qualifications, and 27 solicitations, significantly surpassing her targets in each category. 

She has successfully led and expanded the University of Utah Health’s “Partners in Gratitude” program, enhancing provider engagement and generating more than 400 referrals to frontline fundraisers through targeted trainings and booster sessions. 

She brings a robust educational and professional background to her work, holding dual degrees in History and Linguistics from UC Santa Cruz and having completed both Plus Delta and the Johns Hopkins Medicine Philanthropy Institute, where she continues to mentor peers and participate in alumni programming. 

I was working in academic fundraising in higher-ed and had the opportunity to take an extended professional development course with colleagues from the health side of campus. I was very impressed with their commitment to advancing patient care and research, and their work with clinicians and grateful patients. I jumped at the first opportunity to apply for a position within that team and haven't looked back.

The relationship between donors and projects or initiatives can be intensely personal in healthcare philanthropy. It's a privilege to be a part of a donor's journey to express gratitude to a clinician, process an experience, attempt to improve research or treatments for future patients, express catharsis, or some other profound motivation. It's meaningful to play a small part of that on the individual level and to see the impact those gifts can have.

I have tried to be intentional in each change I've made in my career, identifying areas where I need more experience or improvement, and finding opportunities to fill in those gaps. There is always more to be done, but reaching a point where I check most if not all the boxes for new and exciting opportunities has been gratifying. It's a reminder to continue to learn, grow, and take chances when they arise. You never know when the next pivot point or crucial step will be there.

I love learning and experiencing new ideas and points of view. We are stronger as individuals and groups when we value and learn from different experiences. The world is full of so many curious things and people - how can you not want to know more! I'm always reading and interested in people's stories. Fortunately, in healthcare, there is something new and fascinating to learn about every day.

Be intentional about the people who surround you. You'll have more ability to do this as your career progresses, but early on you can focus on finding great mentors and colleagues who support you, push you to do your best, and who care about helping you achieve your goals. Don't be afraid to reach out to colleagues, even managers, whose work you admire, but also don't underestimate what you can learn from your peers and people in different positions than yours. It's just as important to support and advocate for those people right back; become a resource for people who do good work and who care about others' success.