She’s Got a Story: Katie

“I’m in my soft era,” she smiles as she pushes a stroller and chases a toddler.

Katie’s presence is one of gentle strength and joy.

Katie proudly shares the details of her education and pre-mom career. She was a woman in the male-dominated world of paper mills and engineering, but she traded in her hard hat and steel-toed boots for baby slings and running shoes as she balances mom life with being the Program Director for Girls on the Run Piedmont.

“I saw myself grow tougher as a person, but I became harder as a person. And I didn’t like how it translated into my home life and relationships. Now we are building a positive community, providing a good life for our kids, and there is an appreciation and understanding of women.”

When I asked what she was passionate about Katie’s first answer was, “ Fitness and body movement.”

As she shared details of her previous experience as a bodybuilder and passion for the gym, Katie balanced a baby on her hip while she pushed the toddler in the swing. “Bodybuilding made me feel strong and powerful; I have a different sense of body power now.”

While Katie admits there will be time to return to her fitness goals and interests, family is her priority now. In a recent wedding toast, Katie shared the story of a friendship that started when she was twelve. “We made life plans. When we would get married. How many kids we would have. Marriage and kids were always the plan.”

From shepherding her absolutely adorable daughters to helping to instill confidence in the girls at Girls on the Run, Katie meets life with a smile. “I will show up. I might only have a smile, but that’s what I’ve got.”

A woman who can balance kiddos, navigate a park, open up to a virtual stranger, look beautiful despite the heat, and inspire other women, ALL AT THE SAME TIME, is someone to be admired. Katie’s love of community, family, and this season of her life was evident in every moment I spent with her. A nurturing woman, through and through, she joyfully raises her children, loves on local young women and girls through her job, and shows up for her friends and community. Her quick smile and gentle strength make Katie a formidable force—not just as a mother but as a wife, friend, coach…woman.