A native to California, Kat has a deep respect and reverence for nature. Originally from San Diego, Kat studied fish, wildlife, and conservation biology at Colorado State University. Before attending university, she always dreamt of becoming a large animal veterinarian. However, through her ecology studies, she came to understand the connection between habitat degradation and animal extinction, a significant realization that altered her life path. “If I can restore the habitat, then the animals can restore themselves,” Kat says.