Katherine Shirer was raised in Dunedin, Florida, and has lived and worked in Washington, DC, Boston and Vermont.  She graduated from the Univ. of Virginia with a bachelor’s in foreign affairs and from Harvard with a master’s in education.  Although her writing centers on her experiences as a mother, she has worked primarily in education and government: for a member of Congress, a student exchange organization focusing on the former Soviet countries and Harvard’s programs in international development.  

Since her first child was born in 2001, Katherine has been the primary caregiver for her children and been engaged in volunteer work, at schools and in her community.  In 2009, with friend Lindsay McDonald, Katherine opened a non-profit organization, Middlebury, Vermont-based Junebug Mother and Child, dedicated to improving the quality of life for local mothers and their children.

Four generations of her family have lived in Dunedin, FL, starting with her great-grandfather, who moved his young family there in 1922 to pursue opportunities in citrus and real estate; Katherine currently continues the tradition, with her husband, son and daughter along for the ride.

Katherine writes on mothering topics for Pen Name Jane, her shared column with friend Chris Sansbury.