It all started when…
In December 2010, she married her husband, Derek, and traded in cul-de-sacs and corner coffee shops for dirt roads and fence posts. Katie grew up in town with limited exposure to farm life, but now enjoys learning everything she can about farming and rural living. She and her husband Derek operate a 3,000-acre dryland and irrigated farm outside McPherson where they raise wheat, corn, soybeans and grain sorghum. They also manage an 850-head cow herd and calve and background about 2,000 cattle annually.
Katie graduated in 2006 from Pittsburg State University with bachelor degrees in communications and international studies and earned her masters degree in strategic communication from Purdue University in 2016. She now works full-time off the farm as District Director for U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall.
Derek and Katie are parents to two boys, Evan and Owen. In her free time, Katie enjoys running, reading, writing and time with family and friends. She and Derek have season football and basketball tickets and enjoy cheering on the Wildcats.
Katie joined the CommonGround™ Kansas program in the summer of 2012. Growing up in an urban environment provided her with a different perspective on farming and agriculture. She enjoys talking about her farm, farming practices and how she and her husband work to create a safe and affordable food supply for people across the world.
Expertise: Livestock/Crop production/Communications/Crop Technology
Ag Connections: Kansas Farm Bureau, Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Corn Growers Association, Inman FFA Alumni Association. She also is a guest blogger for the Kansas Beef Council and runs as a member of the council’s Beef Endurance Team.