Growing up in Montana and South Dakota, Kate was raised with an enthusiasm for history and learning from the past. Family trips included ghost towns, monuments, battlefields, and buffalo jumps. This all fed into her insatiable reading of anything history–from archaeology to biographies to world-changing events. Of particular interest was reading about multiple perspectives of the same times, nurturing a deep respect for the diverse peoples involved.

As she headed to Mankato State for college, she focused on European history as a double major in French and German. There’s nothing like reading about cultures in the language of the participants! She has been fortunate to travel several times in Europe and savor the places she spent so much time reading about. One of her greatest joys has been the faces of students as they, too, discover the joy of the past and its link to the future.

Kate’s other passion is her family–Bruce and Lisa, James and Jamie, Bob and Melissa and grandsons Liam, Patrick and Evan. Frau (Madam) Martens just retired after a teaching career centered on Gifted Education, World Languages and diversity initiatives. Working with the Nicollet County Historical Society will be the perfect combination of all her interests.