Just who exactly am I? What’s my story?

I received my MA in European History from George Mason University with a predoctoral concentration. I enrolled in the program immediately after receiving my BA in History from there. I’m a proud Patriot of the Classes of 2014 and 2016. I have a variety of historical interests and would like to spend the rest of my life traveling the world to learn more about them, but I’ve got to pay the bills.

So, when I’m not geeking out over World War I poetry (Wilfred Owen is my homeboy), Modern Irish history, D-Day, or postcolonial British studies, I make a living as a seventh grade United States history teacher - Reconstruction to modern day. I am also endorsed to teach secondary language arts (jack of all trades!) and, sometimes, I moonlight as an adjunct history professor - Plato to NATO, anyone? Recently, I’ve started working on curriculum design with the History and Social Sciences department of the county I am employed with. I’ve enjoyed creating new lessons and content that all the secondary history teachers in the county will be able to use if they so choose.

I do engage in other pursuits not related to the field of history, I love going to concerts and listening to music. I enjoy listening to Buddy Holly, Bruce Springsteen (ask me how many times I’ve seen Springsteen live!), Eric Clapton, Noel Gallagher (& anything defined as “Britpop” or “Shoegaze,” really), and Carole King. I don’t like wine - I’ll forever be a bourbon and craft beer kind of girl (you can also ask me about my affinity to collect and trade). I am forever daydreaming about tacos, and I heart carbs and fancy cheese.

My favorite television shows remain Downton Abbey and Sherlock. Clearly I love to read, or I wouldn’t have picked history as my major in college. My literary interests run the spectrum from Kurt Vonnegut, John Dos Passos, W.B. Yeats, Junot Diaz, Zadie Smith, and (thanks to my students!) Jason Reynolds (where was all this cool young adult literature when I was a teenager, I ask you?)

I’m the proud (cat) aunt of three wonderful cats who live with my parents: Millie, the matriarch (and named by my dad) and her little “brothers,” Pershing and Patton.

(I’m pretty sure you can take a wild guess as to who named Millie’s brothers…)

Recently, I’ve become the even prouder cat mom of two amazing cats who wormed their way into my heart the moment I adopted them: Ike (named after Eisenhower) and his sister, Mamie (named after Eisenhower’s wife).

I’m also an incredible human aunt. I don’t have my own children, so I’ve taken on the title of being an honorary aunt to the children of my closest friends and spoil them throughout the year, but in January of 2024, I became an official aunt to my brother’s firstborn daughter…my beautiful niece, Gabrielle.

All that being said, I truly hope you enjoy my word craft and drop me a line whenever you please!

All content is proudly written by Kate, the resident HistoryNerd.