Kate graduated from the University of Washington in 2002 with a bachelors in architecture. That fall she attended the first US Green Building conference in Austin Texas and knew there was a way she could combine her passion for architecture with her passion for protecting and preserving this planet. Over the next several years Kate worked on a variety of projects around the country. Before moving to Austin to pursue her masters at the University of Texas she worked as a consultant for Melaver, Inc., a property management and development company in Savannah Georgia. At Melaver she worked to initiate and jump start the environmental movement within the company. She worked to reduce the environmental impact of the company by working with each individual department and the company as a whole. She authored new property management guidelines for the sustainable operation and maintenance of their current projects years before LEED had developed their Existing Buildings rating system. Kate was also responsible for educating the employees and aiding in their achieving LEED Accreditation. She also worked on the coordination of two LEED Silver projects including the first retail center in the U.S. to achieve LEED Certification.

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