Katie joined the team in 2023 after 12 years of experience in Community Health and Development. Her work throughout Central Minnesota has contributed to many policy, system, and environmental changes to support a higher quality of life for both residents and visitors for generations to come. Katie is a visionary leader and outgoing individual who brings positivity, strategic thinking, and an equity-focused lens to every opportunity.

 

Her role as the Communities of Excellence Program Manager with R5DC will focus on facilitating high-level project/program design and implementation, project management, and regional planning in the areas of social cohesion, mental health, and workforce development in our five-county region. She is passionate about creating and sustaining a healthy, equity-driven region where all communities are thriving and have what they need to be at their best.  
 
Katie is honored to have achieved a bachelor’s degree in community health and minor in psychology from the University of Minnesota-Duluth. In her free time, Katie, along with her husband and two boys, enjoy spending time with friends and family, being outdoors, gardening, fishing, and watching amateur baseball games.  
 
Katie can be reached at 320-232-5781 or kbaier@regionfive.org