Katherine brings a unique set of skills and experiences to the horse world. A dual professional veterinarian and social worker, Katherine earned her MSW from Syracuse University in 2018 after recognizing the significant human needs that arise in medical environments—for both family members of seriously ill patients, and medical team members themselves.

 

In hindsight, this was unsurprising, as Katherine graduated in 1999 from Wesleyan University’s Science in Society Program—an interdisciplinary exploration of philosophy, science, technology, and ethics. Always looking for ways in which complicated and emotionally charged issues intersect, Katherine engaged in veterinary medicine with an eye towards ethical dilemmas, supporting complex human–animal relationships, and addressing veterinary needs in underserved communities. A 2004 graduate of Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, she has been instrumental in developing the field of palliative medicine in veterinary environments. 

 

In 2020, Katherine fully transitioned from veterinary patients to human clients and currently serves as a clinical social worker with Counseling & Psychological Services at Cornell. She has particular interests in the impact of professional culture on mental health, moral stress, grief, loss and bereavement, complex trauma, and Compassion Focused Therapy.

 

Katherine credits summer camp with her unrelenting equine addiction. Although she has been a lifelong horse girl on the equestrian front, riding since age 8, her dream of at‑home horse ownership was only realized in midlife. Armed with her professional knowledge and influenced by the horse–human relationship in Iceland, Katherine and her husband curated Windswept Farm in Brooktondale, NY specifically for the Icelandic horse. The farm utilizes a perimeter track system with 24/7 slow‑fed forage, rotational grazing, outdoor group housing, and analysis‑based nutritional supplementation practices. Windswept is home to a mixed herd of healthy unridden horses, stable EMS patients, and competitive distance athletes, a testament to track system utilization for performance horses in addition to rehabilitation. 

 

Always learning, and happy to discuss species‑appropriate husbandry with anyone who seeks her out, Katherine informally provided guidance primarily to Icelandic horse owners before launching Horses First Stewardship. She is delighted to cultivate yet another chapter of lifelong commitment to humans and animals by providing individualized consultation in service to the horse, honored as "the most indispensable servant" in Icelandic culture.