Project Planner I
With five years of experience coordinating projects and programs in higher education, Katie is passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration to drive creative solutions. Shaped by core values of empathy and curiosity, she aims to serve as a relationship-builder and connector, putting people and partnerships at the center of every project.
Katie is experienced in curricular and program development, event and conference planning, change management, and communications strategy. She is skilled at designing and facilitating effective meetings and workshops, developing standard operating procedures, creating visual and written communications, and guiding continuous improvement while navigating the nuances of higher education institutions.
Katie joined the Academic Project Management Core in 2025 as a Project Planner I. Prior to this role, she served in program management and academic coordination roles in the Duke Office of Climate and Sustainability, Nicholas School of the Environment, and Pratt School of Engineering. Recent projects at Duke include
- Organizing academic programs, events, and symposium, including the two-day launch of a university initiative, a two-day interdisciplinary symposium, off-site panel events, and a year-long seminar series;
- Planning and facilitating monthly meetings of an advisory body comprised of students, faculty, and staff from all 10 schools, as well as leading short-term task forces in service to this advisory body;
- Co-leading two cohorts of a year-long faculty development program aimed at course redesigns to incorporate new topics and active pedagogies; and
- Collaborating with communications partners across Duke to draft, edit, assemble, and publish two annual reports of an institution-wide initiative.
Katie is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds a B.S. in Earth and Ocean Sciences from Duke University and a Ph.D. in Marine Science from the University of South Florida.