Kate Tompkins

Kate grew up in Gainesville, Florida, and began working at her local public library in high school. She dreamt of working in broadcast journalism and was on her middle and high school news crews. She attended the University of Florida initially as a telecommunications major but soon found that journalism was a better fit for her. She received her undergraduate degree in journalism with a focus in editing, but she decided upon graduation to pursue her master's in library and information science because she enjoyed her time working at the library so much. She moved to St. Augustine, Florida, in 2010 and spent the next 13 years working for the St. Johns County School District as a school librarian.

Kate has always been active in professional networks, serving in various leadership roles in the Florida Association for Media in Education (FAME) and the Northeast Florida Library Information Network (NEFLIN). She is a graduate of the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute (SSLLI) and the Next Level Library Leadership Institute (NLLLI). She also served as a mentor for SSLLI. She has presented on various topics for FAME, NEFLIN and the Florida Library Association (FLA) and written numerous articles for VOYA Magazine and was a regular reviewer for them for many years.

When Kate saw the Park Library director position, she knew it was the perfect opportunity to combine her background in journalism with her passion for libraries. She is thrilled and honored to be a part of the UNC Hussman community.