Katie will be attending the Every Child Is Special program in 2005. She is the new Tutor for the Wik-Mungkan clan. Katie is looking forward to completing the 18 month traineeship in Cultural Transmission.

Katie is 45 years old and a mother of five, their names are Sharna, Franklin, Tyson and Jahmahn she also takes care of her granddaughter Kym.

Katie has 4 sisters and 1 brother, May Kepple, Lorraine Walker, Cedric Kepple, Leslie Kepple and Coralee Ross, she is also related to the other Kepple families living in Coen and Aurukun including Vene Gibson and family.

Katie was born on her traditional homeland, Boyd Lagoon. This is where she spent most of her childhood.

Katie has chosen to become a Tutor to upgrade her skills since she left school at grade eight. After leaving school, she has participated in various courses through TAFE, including access, catering and hairdressing.

Katie has worked as an assistant kindergarten teacher in 1980 at the AIM hospital building in Coen and in 1982-1984 she worked as a teacher’s aid at the Aurukun State School.

Katie has a certificate III in Community Service, by achieving this, she completed an 18 month traineeship as a Community Welfare Officer at Townsville Aboriginal Islander Health Service.

For Katie, the Every Child Is Special project is an opportunity for her to challenge herself and to capture the history of generations of families and to share the culture experience with children’s of all ages, so that it will not be forgotten. This is very important to Katie.

Katie looks forward to working with the school, community and traditional elders. She believes that their support on the project will make her work better and happy.

Katie hopes that one day she will become an educational leader for the Coen community.