Katie Stein was born and raised in southern California, close to the sea. Katie describes herself this way: I have always had a strong affinity for animals and nature. Whether it was watching ants crawling up a tree during recess or taking care of our family dog, I always understood animals much better than my fellow humans. This led me down the path of pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. I graduated from University of California San Diego with a bachelors in microbiology and completed my veterinary degree at the University of Edinburgh. My primary interest in veterinary school was animal behavior and pathology. One thing that fascinated me about these two subjects is the similarities across species. I now work for the State of Maine's Department of Marine Resources as fisheries pathologist. 

Service Description: What holds a community together? In my opinion, it is how we show up for each other and how we show up for ourselves. These times we are under continuous stress and grief it feels more important than ever to take care of each other and ourselves. This sermon will aim to provide congregants a perspective on their thoughts and behaviors in the context of animal behavior and anatomy. When we understand how we operate, it's easier to extend that same empathy outward to the rest of our community.