Kate was born in Vancouver, BC and raised on the outer Gulf Islands. She graduated with honours in painting from the University of Victoria in 1985 after studying with Don Harvey, Sandra Meigs and others. Kate attended the Art Studio Program at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Banff, Alberta for two years during the tenure of Alvin Balkind, Renee van Halm and Rene Blouin. During the late 1980s Kate worked for the British Council in London, UK and later at the Banff Centre, the Burnaby Arts Centre in Burnaby BC (now the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts), and the Vancouver Island School of Art in Victoria, BC. Kate has also taught drawing through Continuing Education at the Banff Centre as well as through Camosun College in Victoria, BC.