Katherine Himes MBA’01 is the director of the McClure Center for Public Policy Research at the University of Idaho, and she founded the Idaho Science and Technology Policy Fellowship, which brings experts into state government to serve in executive and legislative offices. She also holds a bachelor of science degree and doctorate in neuroscience from the University of Minnesota. Himes was recently named a 2025 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
At the McClure Center, staff work with students and share nonpartisan research with governments, businesses, nonprofit organizations, communities, and others across Idaho so they can make policy decisions. As a proud UW–Madison alumna who works in public policy, Himes describes the Wisconsin Idea as a way of life.
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Make a Gift“When I was in my MBA, I was not very familiar with the Wisconsin Idea. I was exposed to it as an alum through the publications that come to me, particularly On Wisconsin magazine,” Himes says.
Before taking on her current role, Himes worked as a science diplomat, advising policymakers and ambassadors in foreign nations. She served as an AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, working in the U.S. Agency for International Development and with the U.S. Department of State. Along with her professional accomplishments, Himes is also an avid distance runner and cross-country skier, which are both passions she pursued while at the UW. She was a member of the UW Running Club and the Nordic Ski Club.
Today, Himes says UW–Madison initiatives such as Bucky’s Tuition Promise are important for helping the UW provide access to higher education, and through UW–Madison alumni publications, she’s learned more about the Wisconsin Idea and the great work being done at the UW.
“I’m really proud to be a graduate of the University of Wisconsin because of the things it stands for,” she says. “I’m very proud that that’s what the institution is doing, and that I’m connected to it. Education is a core value of mine.”
Favorite late ’90s or early ’00s tech?
On our big road trips for running club and ski club, we would want to listen to music. It was the era where some vehicles had a built in CD player, but others had the CD player that was external, where you could also have used it with headphones as a personal CD player. I remember that there would be these big discussions before trips about which format the cars would have.
Favorite campus hangout?
Studying in Grainger Hall. And my parents had a favorite hangout when they would come to visit because they were reliving their UW–Madison memories from the 1960s and that was Paisan’s.
Favorite campus activities?
Running and skiing. I was in the UW Running Club and the Nordic Ski Club. Some super fun memories are, of course, running on Lakeshore Path and running out to Picnic Point. We did a lot of races. The running club was able to use the track that was only open to track and cross-country teams at that time. It was really special to be on the Wisconsin track and doing our workout.
For the ski team, we practiced on golf courses and trail systems in Madison, and then we would do races around Wisconsin. One year for spring break, we actually went to Quebec, Canada. We rented the UW vans, and we drove out there. It was so much fun.
Favorite UW–Madison memory?
With the running club, after weekend long-runs we would go to Mickey’s Dairy Bar, and we would eat blueberry pancakes. We would never finish them because they were so large.
What accomplishments are you most proud of from the last 25 years?
I’m really proud of having served my country in the Foreign Service and to have used science and my entrepreneurship in that way. And I’m really proud of the work that my team and I do every day [at the McClure Center]. On the personal side, I’m proud that I have set high goals with my running and my skiing, and then I’ve gone for them. I’m proud that I continue to say yes to unique opportunities professionally and personally.
How would you sum up your time at the UW?
Short but powerful. An MBA is only two years, so it’s different from the four years of an undergrad, and it’s different from a PhD or a law degree where you’re on campus for a longer period of time. But those two years were really full, and I did so many things inside and outside the classroom. I feel like I packed a lot into that time.
