I believe good teaching and a solid educational foundation for every person on the planet is incredibly important and a key step in the solution to many societal ills, including poverty, violence, and environmental degradation.”

Katrina’s Story

Music and rivers have been Katrina’s two main passions for as long as she can remember. Both of her parents were river guides and musicians. She grew up singing around the campfire with her family on trips. Her love of nature led her to earn a Bachelor of Science in geology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she also earned a Bachelor of Science in physics and a Master of Science in geology.

Before deciding to pursue teaching as a profession, Katrina worked as a teaching assistant, a tutor, an assistant field geology instructor, and a long-term substitute teacher. In more informal roles, she’s taught individuals of varying ages as a river guide and a backpacking trip leader for more than 10 years.

Katrina’s teaching and wilderness experiences have led to her eight states—Massachusetts, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Arizona, Texas and Colorado—and two countries—Canada and Peru—over the last nine years. Taken by the beauty of Peru, she looks forward to making a return visit.

Curious by nature, she is excited by math and science. Over the years, she discovered the joy of igniting curiosity and a desire to learn in others. After deciding to become a teacher, she earned her teaching credential through the UTeach Natural Sciences Program at the University of Texas at Austin.

Through participation in the Teaching Fellows Program, Katrina expects “to gain support in pursuit of my academic and research goals, and a structure with which to more explicitly and consciously examine my practice.”

When she isn’t in the classroom or on a river, Katrina can be found singing and playing the guitar, mandolin and mandola at a local restaurant. She also enjoys spending time with her dog, Mayu.