Katie is a Lecturer in Sport and Recreation Management with over 30 years of professional experience in the sport and recreation industry, particularly in recreation facility management, aquatics, leisure planning, and local government roles. Her research focuses on community sport and recreation planning, policy analysis and development, sport participation, and the design and evaluation of sport and recreation programs. She specialises in qualitative research methodologies and program evaluation.

She is the co-author of the book Community Leisure and Recreation Planning, contributing to both academic scholarship and practical advancements in the field.

Katie has served on the board of the Australia and New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies (ANZALS) for more than eight years, where she was the inaugural student representative. In this role, she developed and integrated higher degree research (HDR) student initiatives, such as conference scholarships, student-focused conferences, and professional development workshops. She has also actively contributed to university and industry-based collaborations through ANZALS, supporting partnerships that foster innovation, research engagement, and knowledge exchange between academia and the sport and recreation sector. Her work exemplifies the value of connecting universities with industry to enhance outcomes for students, researchers, and community stakeholders.

Katie’s ongoing commitment to research, professional service, and collaborative initiatives underscores her dedication to advancing community sport and recreation across Australasia.