Kathryn was born in 1944 in York, Nebraska. Kathryn earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado at Denver in 1983, and her law degree from the University of Denver in 1989. Kathryn was admitted to the Colorado bar in 1989, and the New Mexico bar in 1991. Kathryn attended advanced mediation and negotiation training at Harvard Law School. Kathryn practices primarily in the areas of family law including divorce, paternity, adoption and post-decree matters.

Kathryn is married, a mother of two (including her oldest son and law partner, Lance), a grandmother of six, and enjoys theater, gardening, hiking and cycling. Kathryn is active in many civic organizations, including Rotary Club. She is the past president of the Boulder Valley Women's Health Center and the Boulder Valley YMCA.

Kathryn is a member of the Boulder County Bar Association and also has a BV® rating from Martindale-Hubbell which identifies a lawyer with high to very high legal ability.