I knew Katie throughout my twenties and she was a close friend and confidant as I navigated my gender transition from female to male. At one point, Katie took over the lease from my apartment when I moved out. I remember the parties she hosted there and the countless times we all “got wild” – a phrase I often heard her use – “when are we gonna get wild?” More importantly, Katie modeled activism for me. From Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, Lexington Pride, traveling to the Allied Media Conference in Detroit, and the dozens of local queer events we attended, organized or performed in, Katie was a constant presence – fierce and authentic. The first to show and the last to go. She inspired me during a time when I needed inspiration. She was the beating heart of a friend group who took me in when I was 22 and at an utter loss. As a matter of fact she was in South America when I met these friends and half the time they talked about this, apparently iconic friend named Katie and by the time she came back home I couldn’t wait to meet her. She moved away from Lexington shortly before I did. I am now on the development team at The LGBT Center in NYC. Katie’s mark on me is deep and it is apparent in the work I do every day. I will carry her in my heart forever.