Kathryn is chief of the Plain Language and Content Division in the Office of Communications at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security. She also co-chairs the Plain Language Action and Information Network, a volunteer group of U.S federal employees who promote the use of plain language throughout the government and manage plainlanguage.gov. PLAIN is the official interagency working group for the Plain Writing Act of 2010, the nation’s first federal law of its kind.
Kathryn has taught many U.S. government agencies about the importance of communicating in plain language. FierceGovernment named her one of its “Fierce 15” of 2012 for innovation in government. She was a guest speaker at several conferences including Plain Language Association International 2015 in Dublin, Ireland, Clarity 2012 in Washington, D.C., and the Plain Language Association International 2011 in Stockholm, Sweden. Kathryn has also judged New Zealand’s WriteMark Plain English Awards. This is her fourth year judging the ClearMark Awards.