Kat Thompson is the Talent Engagement Facilitator at CareerLink and the 2020-2021 FLEX President.

Kat grew up in Hydetown, just outside of Titusville, and moved to Oil City while in high school. From kindergarten through 12th grade, she attended Christian Life Academy (CLA), then went on to Spring Arbor University in Michigan where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in global economic development. She also received her Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certification through Oxford Seminars.

For three years, Kat lived in China teaching Oral English and Reading Comprehension at Sias International University. While in China, one of her fond memories is performing, usually choregraphed dances. They would sometimes give performances in front of thousands of students and once on TV for a basketball tournament.

Kat has traveled and lived all over the world (she’s been to 30 countries and over 40 states) and loves meeting new people and learning about different cultures, but she is happy to call our area home. “It’s where my family is and I’m proud of way the community is growing here,” she said.

As the President of FLEX, Kat enjoys helping others get more involved in the organization and the community. In her free time, she likes relaxing on her patio with her cat, Ellie, while bird watching. She also participates in outdoor recreation, like hiking, biking, and kayaking throughout the region. She loves watching wildlife, including deer, foxes, a bear, racoons, a porcupine, and a lot of birds just around her house. One of her favorite stops in our area is Core Goods, a store in Oil City.

“I truly appreciate the sense of community in Venango County,” she told us. “There is a strong network between businesses, economic development, and community organizations. There are so many people working towards improving the quality of life in this area and I’m happy to be a part of that.”