Katja’s Bio

My earliest writings include a tale about a vampire handwritten in blood-red pen, a short play about a visit to the dentist, performed with hand puppets at my elementary school recital and (very short) short stories that I typed on the mechanical typewriter my mother procured on the East German black market for my 8th birthday.

Once the Berlin Wall fell, I started exploring the world that was previously closed off to me. I tried my hand as barista in London, background actor in Tokyo and staff reporter in Pretoria. These diverse global perspectives have broadened my perspectives and shaped my narrative voice.

My journey has always been fueled by a deep curiosity about people and cultures.

I have a associates’ degree in translation and earned a dual masters in anthropology and British and American Studies with a focus on literature and linguistics from Humboldt University Berlin. While in grad school, I was a member of the student council and taught classes at the undergraduate level.

I spent over a decade in New York City, where I ran a successful creative communications business crafting compelling narratives to engage a variety of local and international audiences. I toned my public speaking muscles during countless panel discussions, designed and facilitated workshops and programs and gave a few keynote addresses. After a brief return to Berlin to establish the German chapter of an international sustainability organization, I now live in Los Angeles and have dedicated my career to my first love: telling stories.