As a native of St. Louis, Kate has cherished memories of childhood of trips to the Zoo and now enjoys visiting with her own children. After completing her B.A. in Psychology & Sociology from Maryville University, Kate gained experience through various social work and office management positions. She has worked in social services agencies, the pharmaceutical industry, and academia. Her focus is on providing support and to connect people with the tools and resources they need to succeed.

In March 2024, Kate became the Administrative Assistant for the Institute of Conservation Medicine. She works behind the scenes on permits, communications, funding, and purchasing to help the ICM team continue their important wildlife health and conservation work. She especially enjoys interacting with ICM interns and volunteers. Her favorite projects are the ICM newsletters and One Health outreach programs.

Anyone interested in supporting the ICM or learning more about their projects can reach out to Kate at kburleson@stlzoo.org.