Katie is a graduate of Smith College and Yale Divinity School. She also holds Advanced CPE credit in Pediatrics having trained at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT. She has trained in financial development with Terry Parsons, national Stewardship Office of the Episcopal Church, as well as in homiletics, change management in the church, and conflict resolution through the College of Preachers in Washington, D.C. She has also studied through the Plowshares Institute, traveling with an American delegation to South Africa in 2001 to work on issues of transformation through reconciliation. Katie has represented the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia as a member of its Children’s Charter Team at several national conferences, and as an active member of the diocesan Youth Ministries Design team. Katie is also trained ELCA facilitator for its Healthy Congregations workshops.

Pastor Keene has served as a worker-priest since 1981. Her understanding of servant ministry has led to unique combinations of ministries, pioneering in interim and transitional ministries, ecumenism, and organizational development. A gifted liturgist and preacher, Katie’s deep commitment to pastoral care and spiritual formation have been combined with a passion for congregational health and development. She has served congregations both within the Episcopal Church and in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, while also heading her own consulting practice, Emerging Enterprise Group. Called to develop and enhance the spiritual, organizational and financial growth of congregations, she partners with the faith community to connect the vision and vocation of a parish with its maximum abilities to achieve its goals.

A development specialist and facilitator, Katie’s professional commitment to the building of community from a system's perspective has also fit well with non-traditional work in the church, including serving as Associate Pastor of Trinity Ecumenical Parish in Moneta, Virginia, a large vibrant parish of Episcopalians, Lutherans, and Presbyterians.

In the Episcopal Church and the ELCA, Katie has served parishes both full-time, part-time, and on an interim basis. She has served as chaplain in both college and nursing home settings. In her most recent calls Katie has partnered with congregations in exploring and deepening the relationship between organizational health and development, vision, and generosity in giving. As a pastor and as a consultant Katie has extensive experience in identifying opportunities and stumbling blocks in the development and enhancement of a group’s mission and objectives. She inspires positive attitudes toward change, and encourages openness and direct communications, which enable effective growth and health.

Katie has three children; Abigail has just graduated from Yale and lives in Washington, DC, Ian is a junior at William and Mary, and Skye is beginning high school at Notre Dame Academy in Worcester. An avid outdoorswoman, Katie loves to hike and kayak. Her other interests include travel, theater, the environment, music, children’s books, and creative writing. A native New Englander, she currently lives in Acton, Massachusetts.