Cathie graduated from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia, in 1998. She graduated, Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor of science degree in Physician Assistant. Cathie has completed elective training in Endocrinology with an emphasis on Diabetes while in medical school. Diabetes is personal for her because two close family members were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as children while she was away at medical school.

After graduating, Cathie returned home to Farmington, New Mexico, where she practiced Internal Medicine. She soon became the community diabetes provider and got her certification as a Diabetes Educator in 2002. After losing her husband to cancer in 2004, Cathie relocated to Grand Junction, CO, to be closer to family. She started working at Family Health West Primary Care and has spent the rest of her career helping patients with prediabetes and diabetes. Cathie does "shared decision-making" with her patients by teaching them about all the options available and encouraging her patients to decide what works best for them.