Kate received a PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2009 from Arizona State University and an MPH in Epidemiology from San Diego State University in 2012. Her research focuses on the role of acculturation, stress, and health behaviors and their contribution to mental health and chronic disease concerns among immigrant and refugee communities. She uses community-based participatory research (CBPR), mixed methods, and research designs that allow the examination of community context in affecting health and wellbeing. Her core areas of research include:

1. CBPR methods to ensure community voices and organisations are driving research agendas and supporting applied, practical outcomes meaningful to community.
2. Examination of individual and community-level factors that influence adaptive outcomes in the face of adversity.
3. Evaluation of systems of practice to identify and address systemic inequities and exclusion in health, research, and educational practices.