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.
At the McClure Center, researchers work with students, lawmakers, and experts to share information about public policy and to develop nonpartisan research for Idahoans. As a proud UW–Madison alumna who works in public policy and education, Himes describes the Wisconsin Idea as a way of life.
“When I was in my MBA, I don't know that I was very familiar with the Wisconsin idea. I think that I was more exposed to that as an alum through all of 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 also served as a science and technology policy fellow and science adviser for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and she worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development and 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 more 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 just a core value of mine, and I learned more after leaving campus, and it made me feel more connected.”
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 memories and that was Paison’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, running out to Picnic Point. We did a lot of races, and one thing we got to do was use the track that usually was only open to track and cross-country teams at that time. And so, it was just really cool to be on the Wisconsin track and doing our track practice.
For the ski team, we practiced on some different 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, and we had a super fun spring break. We rented the UW vans, and we drove out there.
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.
How would you sum up your time at the UW?
Short but powerful. An MBA is only two years, so it’s different from four years of an undergrad, and it’s also different from doing a PhD or a law degree or a degree where you’re there for a longer period of time. But I think that 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.
