Dr. Kathryn A. Grako served as National GWIS President for 2002-2003. She has assisted in the development of many new chapters and continues to be involved in this important function of GWIS. She currently is the liaison for GWIS’ partnership with MentorNet (www.mentornet.net). Both organizations are dedicated to helping students, postdocs and early-career scientists to achieve their highest potential. Throughout her tenure as a National Officer, Kathy has focused on the growth of GWIS through chapter establishment. Kathy joined GWIS and Tau Chapter (San Diego, CA) in 1995 and has been an active participant in Tau Chapter having served as Vice President and President.

Kathy did her postdoctorate at La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation (The Burnham Institute). She then joined MitoKor as a Research Scientist in the Metabolic Diseases group for four years. Currently, Kathy is a Senior Staff Scientist and group leader for Bio-Analysis and Assay Development in the Biology Department of MediVas, LLC. She is also a member of AAAS, the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.

She received her Ph.D. in Physiology and Pharmacology (Thesis: Mechanisms of the Dominant Negative Effect of the A/K1018 Insulin Receptor) from UC San Diego in 1993, an M.A. in Microbiology from San Francisco State University in 1982, and a B.S. in Biology (Magna Cum Laude and honored as Outstanding Student) from Dominican University of California, San Rafael, CA, in 1979.