Biographie
Raised on Chicago’s North Shore as an only child by her mother, Katie’s strength, confidence, and determination were inspired by her mom’s hard work and love. She credits her mother’s resilience as the driving force behind her ambition to move to LA and pursue a career in acting and modeling.
From a young age, Katie dreamed of becoming a Hollywood actress. After juggling high school and modeling in Chicago, she earned a track scholarship to a Liberal Arts College in Wisconsin. Katie graduated from Carthage University with a degree in Business and Marketing, working part-time as a model.
In the summer of 2004, following college graduation, Katie took a real estate job in Chicago while enrolling in acting classes and gaining experience on four film sets, all while continuing to model. She aimed to learn as much as possible about the film industry before relocating to LA to chase her dreams.
Katie’s first entertainment break came from appearing on Season 1 of "America’s Next Top Model" while still in college. Afterward, she returned to Wisconsin to complete her degree and save money through real estate to fund her move to Los Angeles. Within weeks of arriving in LA, she secured the role of briefcase model #11 on NBC’s "Deal or No Deal," a role she held for over four years. Katie is also a skilled on-camera host with credits on the TV Guide Channel, E! News Now, and the travel show "Get Out" on HDTV.
Her film credits include roles in "The Break Up," "Lake House," and "Iron Man 2." She has appeared on television shows such as "CSI NY," "Las Vegas," "Entourage," "Rules of Engagement," "Chuck," and "Working Class." Katie starred in the CBS-affiliated web series "Heckel U," opposite Tom Arnold. She currently has three films in pre-production.
Katie has featured in more than a dozen national ad campaigns for brands like InterContinental Hotels, Skechers, Elastiderm Skin Care, AT&T, Nike, Chandon Champagne, Supreme Protein, Cadillac, ProActive, Payless, and as part of the "Refreshment Duo" for Labatt’s Blue Light. She was also named one of People Magazine’s "100 Most Beautiful People" during her time on "Deal or No Deal."
Passionate about animal rescue, Katie has helped find homes for hundreds of abused and unwanted animals. She volunteers with various animal rescue groups, including Tippi Hedren’s exotic big cat sanctuary "Shambala" and the "Wildlife Waystation." With over eight years of experience working with big cats, Katie hopes to open her own animal rescue and sanctuary one day. Among her achievements is organizing a fundraiser in Chicago that united ten humane organizations to support local animal rescue and abuse centers. She recently produced the "Diamond’s Not Fur" Humanitarian Awards, a star-studded red carpet event where Betty White honored Madeline Bernstein, President of the SpcaLA, with a Humanitarian Award supporting West Hollywood’s "Fur Free" Movement. The gala raised funds for SpcaLA’s animal welfare programs aimed at preventing cruelty, rescuing, and caring for animals in Los Angeles. Following the event’s success, the West Hollywood "Fur Free" bill passed in November 2011 and went into effect in early 2012.
