I had the pleasure of running into the accomplished 2005 LHS graduate, Katherine “Katie” Fromm, and her mother, Diane Fromm, at the LHS Homecoming Game. Her proud mother told me that Katie was recently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander, in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.

Reflecting on growing up in LaBelle, Katie says one of her best childhood memories is, “Dancing with the Country Rhythm Cloggers. Ms. Pat Bedingfield treated us all like family and our team ended up feeling like one.”

Katie remembers having some notable teachers who truly impacted her life, such as “Dr. Susan Cooper, who shared a love of chemistry with her students. Mrs. Joy Bridwell and Mr. Rich Dysart worked hard to make sure that we as students learned the most about math possible. I appreciated them more once I moved on to college.”

When asked who had the most influence on her life, she lovingly mentions her parents, “They have always encouraged me to do my best, even when I felt like settling.” Her journey has included attending Florida State University, and the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University where she worked hard to earn her PharmD degree.

She is currently the acting Chief and Clinical Pharmacist at the Taos Picuris Indian Health Clinic in Taos, NM. She spends her free time skiing, doing yoga, and hiking with her dogs. Katie says one of the happiest parts of her life is, “Coming home to my husband and my dogs.”

Previously she worked at the Crownpoint, NM Indian Hospital as an Advanced Practice Pharmacist where she also completed a PGY-1 Residency.

Why does she choose this line of work? Katie explains, “Most Americans do not know that there are places in America without running water and electricity but they do still exist. Helping these people is extremely rewarding. In return, the Native Americans that I work with have been extremely welcoming and show appreciation to me daily.”

“I am proud of the service that I provide to my patients. I think I try my best every day to let them know that I care about them and give them the best care possible,” says Katie.

A sensible personality, Katie says that if she were to win the lottery, “I would probably just put it in the bank!”

What might she do differently, if given the opportunity? “Nothing,” she replies, “Through a series of what I may have thought were mistakes, I have somehow ended up in a great place. I think making mistakes is a blessing in disguise, because we learn and move on.”

Katie would like to thank the LaBelle Kiwanis and the American Legion Riders for their generous scholarship gifts. She would also like to thank all her wonderful teachers from LaBelle High School especially Mr. Rich Dysart (Math), Mrs. Joy Bridwell (Math), and Dr. Susan Cooper (Chemistry).