Growing up in Michigan, Kathy discovered her love of the land spending time on her grandparents’ farm and summers at the family cottage on Lake Huron.  She developed an even greater appreciation for open landscapes when she started college at the University of Virginia and was introduced to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the stunning Shenandoah Valley.  After graduating from Michigan State University with a BA in Economics, inspired by the beauty of mountains and landscape, she moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, with some time in Boulder where she received an MA in Economics from the University of Colorado.

Living in the Steamboat Springs area for over forty years, Kathy recognized that historic preservation and land conservation were essential components of a community’s vision.  She served on the Board of Directors of Historic Routt County for over 15 years and was given the organization’s Historic Preservation Leadership Award in 2015.  Seeing the development pressure mounting in Northwest Colorado, Kathy worked for the Yampa Valley Land Trust for 13 years where she retired as Finance Director.  In 2021, Kathy returned to the Shenandoah Valley with her husband, Carl Steidtmann, and moved to Staunton, drawn by the area’s strong preservation ethic and dedication to the conservation of the precious agricultural lands and beautiful, irreplaceable open landscapes.  Kathy is grateful for the opportunity to join the efforts of the Valley Conservation Council in its’ vital mission of land conservation.