She’s as comfortable talking to a group about disaster preparedness as working on a farm in Costa Rica, or providing first aid to people at local festivals.

And she’s not even 30 yet.

She’s Katie Gaulin, a bilingual Community Advocate employee, spin class instructor and First Aid Service Team (FAST) Station Coordinator---three demanding jobs that suit her ambitious style perfectly. During the day (and often into the evening), Katie is bringing Badger Care, a state supplemental health insurance plan, to local residents. She directly enrolls people and spreads the word---in Spanish and English---about the program to those in need.

Some nights and weekends, Katie is teaching spinning classes at the Wisconsin Athletic Club.  By instructing the classes, she stays in shape and covers her membership cost.

When she is not at either of those jobs---or one of her “random part-time jobs”---you can find Katie at a Red Cross first aid station at a local festival or community event.  It’s a volunteer role she chose in 2000, when she was a college student working at her mother’s company part time.  She was a health promotions major, and a FAST member worked at the company. It was a good fit for her major, a chance to gain experience and a way to give back.

Eight years later, Katie now serves as a Station Coordinator and Team Member for FAST, which gives her a chance to closely interact with the public while using her management skills as a coordinator.

FAST is not the only way Katie contributes to the Red Cross. She is also a trained Be Red Cross Ready instructor (formerly Together We Prepare), and has used her bilingual skills to teach parents and children how to prepare for the unexpected. In 2007, she formed a partnership with a former Red Cross Public Ally, and together the two bilingual staff members went into the community, giving bilingual presentations for local groups.

Clearly, there’s more to this volunteer than meets the eye and she uses her skills and generosity to reach out to others, no matter what community she is in. She has also educated Costa Ricans about the importance of health issues, served as an interpreter at a local hospital and taught Spanish classes in Elm Grove.

Luckily, she has decided to utilize her skills at the Red Cross---when she is not saying hello to her goddaughters, hanging out with her family or bringing health care to the community.

She’s ambitious. Educated. Smart. Best yet, Red Cross volunteer!