Born and raised in St. Louis, Kathleen grew up in an Irish Catholic family. She earned a B.A. in Communications from Fontbonne College and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from Yale University.
After working in several marketing positions, Kathleen joined the MCC in 2004. In addition to her daily responsibilities, which included press relations, newsletters on pending legislation, and publication design, she dedicated herself to modernizing and improving the organization. Her efforts included redesigning the website, implementing weekly updates and action alerts for MOCAN members (that continue to serve as important communication tools today), and improving databases to make the MCC’s operations more efficient.
From 2009 to 2023, Kathleen held positions in publishing and communications, including serving as Publications Manager at the Missouri Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association and was the Communications/Outreach Coordinator at the Proto-Cathedral of St. Peter in Jefferson City, where she continued to bring dedication and professionalism to her work.
During her time at the MCC, Kathleen worked on numerous issues but was especially passionate about campaigns involving constitutional amendments on stem cell research and cloning and prolife issues. On each occasion, Kathleen went above and beyond to make a difference for the common good.
Known for her enthusiastic and resolute personality, Kathleen was as strong-willed as she was faithful to the Church. She tried to see the best in people and was always eager to share a joke, a story, or an anecdote about her cats, her love of theater and movies, or her strong Catholic faith. Her family members, MCC colleagues, friends from the local theater community, and fellow parishioners at the Proto-Cathedral of St. Peter mourn her passing and will remember her fondly. You can read her full obituary here.
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let Your perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.