Kate is a best-selling children's book author and concept designer from Houston, Texas. She studied architecture at Yale and Norwegian boat building through the Mortimer Hays-Brandeis Fellowship, after which she made her way out to Los Angeles to work as a concept artist in animation. She has worked for studios including Disney, DreamWorks, and Roosterteeth in roles ranging from visual development to background design; highlights include designing Minnie Mouse's house (complete with a woodshop!) and a Stone Age football field inside a trilobite exoskeleton.

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Her first middle grade novel, Maple’s Theory of Fun, (co-written and illustrated with Ruthie Prillaman) was named a USA Today best-seller. Kate is also the author and illustrator of the nonfiction picture book Sustainable Structures, which was selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection as well as a National Science and Teach Association and Children's Book Council 2025 Best STEM book of the year. 

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Her art often explores whimsy architecture with wonky, handmade imperfections.​ In her free time, she enjoys building furniture from scrap wood on the street, biking around LA, and overwatering her plants. She is repped by Alex Weiss at Azantian Literary.