Kate Wolters, Director
Kate Wolters, Director
Kate Wolters (she/her) has been a Board Member since DisArt became a 501(c)3 in 2016. Kate is the President of the KRW Foundation. Founded in 1997 by Kate and her late husband Richard, this private foundation makes grants to non-profit organizations with an emphasis in the arts, education, social justice and people with disabilities.
Kate is also a member of the Board of Directors of Steelcase Inc. since 2001, and chair of the Steelcase Foundation, an endowed private foundation of Steelcase Inc.. She was appointed chair of the Steelcase Foundation upon her leaving the post of executive director of the Foundation in October 1996.
Kate serves on a number of non-profit boards including DisArt, ACLU of Michigan, Grand Rapids Promise Zone and the Mary and Robert Pew Public Education Fund. She serves as Co-Chair of First Steps Kent board and was appointed by Governor Granholm to an eight year term as a member of the governing board of Grand Valley State University in 2004 and reappointed by Governor Snyder for a four year term and subsequently an eight year term until 2024. Kate was appointed to the National Council on Disability by President William Clinton in 1994 and reconfirmed by the U.S. Senate in 1996 where she served until 2003. For eight of her nine years she served as it’s vice chair.
Kate joined the Steelcase Foundation in 1986 as executive director after serving as director of the Grand Rapids Center for Independent Living for two years. From 1982 to 1984, she was a staff social worker in the Steelcase Inc. Counseling and Referral Center.
Kate received her BA from Aquinas College and holds a master’s degree in social work from Michigan State University.