Kathy began her professional career by attending and graduating from the Colorado Institute of Art in 1988. While in college, she interned with the Art Students League of Denver, the Metropolitan Denver Arts Alliance, and the Denver Partnership. 

After graduation, Kathy interned in the print advertising department at KCNC News4, where she created advertisements, bus boards, and billboards; coordinated photo shoots with newscasters such as Ron Zapollo, Bob Palmer, Greg Moody, Larry Green, Ed Green, Kristin McCloskey, and Madeline McFadden; and conducted press checks at printing facilities across the country.

In 1989, Kathy was hired by Joe Bullard, former managing editor of the Denver Post, and Tony Campbell, former managing editor of the Rocky Mountain News. She served as Production Manager for one of Denver’s first and only publication design firms at the time, Publication Design, Inc. In this role, she managed production and scheduling for several weekly publications in the cable news trade industry, including Cable World Magazine. This position is where Kathy honed her editing skills. Editors would stand over Kathy’s shoulder in the Cable World newsroom, as she worked late into the night, racing deadline. Cable World was printed overnight and distributed the next day, so there was no room for delay. The headlines had to be attention-grabbing—and they had to reflect what was happening in the cable industry that week: mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers. It was the 1990s, when Denver—home to TCI under John Malone—sat at the center of a cable boom, alongside the expanding empires of Ted Turner, Rupert Murdoch, and Sumner Redstone. 

Not only did Kathy work alongside some of Denver’s top writers, editors, and photographers—from the Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post, and the Denver and Boulder Business Journals—she also collaborated with some of the best printing companies in the country. Working with Publication Printers is where Kathy also began honing her printing skillset.

In 1995, Kathy’s career path brought her to Colorado’s Western Slope—specifically the Gunnison Valley and the mountain towns of Crested Butte and Gunnison. Over the years, she served as a Prepress Department Manager and Graphic Designer for two local printing companies: Crested Butte Printing with Jeff Neumann (1995–1998) and later B&B Printers with Jim Stanley and the Stanley family (2007–2015). Together, these roles added another decade of fast-paced print production experience, sharpening her expertise and setting her apart as more than a graphic designer.

From 1998 on, Kathy simultaneously operated her own design business, serving clients throughout Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley—including CBMR, The Idle Spur, and the Crested Butte Brewery (Tom Skerritt–Garcia era)—and nearly every business on Elk Avenue and up on the mountain. If you had design work or advertising done during that time, chances are Kathy was behind it.

She collaborated with Sandy Fails, Nathan Bilow, and others to design and produce Crested Butte Magazine for more than ten years, working closely with local writers and photographers. She also worked with Mark and Dianne Reaman at The Crested Butte Weekly, served as the signature designer for the Crested Butte Center for the Arts—partnering with Pat Crow and Jenny Birnie from 1998 to 2019—and was lead designer for Western Horizon Resorts with Pamela Frenette from 1998 to 2021.

Currently based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Kathy is focused on her strongest suit—book publishing and printing—helping authors bring their books to life with her expertise in publication design and print production. 

On a personal note, Kathy has been a fine artist her entire life. Her passion for creating has never wavered, earning her both local and national recognition over the years. She’s also a devoted dog mom—and a daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and caregiver.