Kate Petersen M.F.A.

  • Arctic Communications Strategist
Kate Petersen

I guide Permafrost Pathways’ communications strategy, shaping and elevating stories on what we know about the threat and extent of permafrost thaw, what we’re working to find out, and how we are working with Indigenous partners to develop community-led adaptation and relocation frameworks as many Arctic communities contend with the compounding hazards of thawing permafrost.

The changing Arctic affects all of us, and we have a critical window of opportunity to help keep permafrost frozen for future generations. I believe that good science communication has the power to move the needle on major issues like permafrost thaw, and I enjoy working with scientists to develop communication skills and strategies to tell their science stories in accessible, compelling ways.

I have more than 10 years of strategic communications experience in climate science, health policy, and higher education. I studied English and the history of science at Arizona State University and received my Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Minnesota. I am also a former Wallace Stegner Fellow and Jones lecturer in the creative writing program at Stanford University. Previously, I worked at the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society at Northern Arizona University, where I led the program’s science communications efforts. My writing has appeared in publications including New York Times Magazine, The Arizona Republic, and Tin House.