Just over 17 years ago (after hanging up her cleats from semi-pro soccer), Katie moved to Napa Valley to pursue a career in food and wine. While managing events at a local winery, her mentor’s daughter was diagnosed with a rare disorder, Rett Syndrome. Although she had just recently moved to the wine country, Katie saw this as an opportunity to give back and make a difference, while bringing together everything that inspired her. In 2004, Katie co-founded the Erika Van Giesen Foundation, alongside an annual epicurean gala, Erika’s Dream, to support it. With the monies raised in 2006, she helped establish Katie’s Clinic at Children’s Hospital Oakland, which to this day still serves girls and their families afflicted with Rett throughout the Western United States. This fundraising gala was a way to incorporate all her passions; FOOD, WINE & PHILANTHROPY, while throwing one heck of a party and sharing her love for entertaining. In 2009 Katie helped launch Wine, Women & Shoes; A food and wine based event that would become a successful national fundraising platform. Later that year she launched her first wine label Toolbox Wine Co., with a mission to craft affordable, quality driven wines that gave back. That same year at Erika’s Dream a few conversations led to Katie taking a leap of faith to make her dream a reality; aiming to inspire, educate and entertain, Feast it Forward features all things food, wine and philanthropy with a taste of music, spiked with design. With “slow and grow” global concept in mind, the last 9 years have been dedicated to building the lifestyle brand, Feast it Forward ( https://feastitforward.com/) alongside its web based original content network, http://feast.network/. In 2018, The Studio by Feast it Forward opened, previewing the first flagship brick and mortar live studio + experiential showroom in downtown Napa; combining food, wine, music, design, entertainment and charitable giving, truly bringing the network to life.