Kathleen earned her M.S. in Wildlife Ecology from Texas State University with an emphasis on herpetology. She has over five years of experience working with both endangered birds and karst invertebrates of Central Texas, including extensive work in the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Prior to earning her degree, Kathleen completed a USFWS Americorps term at the San Marcos Federal Fish Hatchery and Technology Center, where she gained valuable experience working with several endangered aquatic species, including the Texas Blind Salamander and the San Marcos Salamander. During her term, Kathleen also traveled to New Mexico and Arizona where she participated in the Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Program.