TAYN Ep. 62 - Katie Cashman Fitzsimmons

Katie Cashman Fitzsimmons is exactly one half of The Cashman Auctionisters, the auctioneering sisters. Her partner in crime is her Bozeman-based sister Missy. Since 2016, Katie and Missy have auctioned at over 250 events for charities, non-profits, organizations, and individuals. Those auctions have brought in over $18,000,000, allowing those groups to further the good work they each do for their communities. Katie resides in Bismarck, North Dakota where she serves in her day job as the Director for Student Affairs for the North Dakota University System. In this role, she works with the 11 state colleges and universities (who enroll roughly 45,000 students) to advance all the initiatives that take place outside of the classroom. That includes substance misuse prevention, sexual assault prevention and intervention, student mental health, initiatives that support belonging and community, student health insurance, student access to voting, and many other things that pop up along the way. This would also involve briefing the State Board of Higher Education and developing policy that they approve which are in effect for the campuses. In addition to that, Katie serves on the legislative team for the System Office which consumes an inordinate amount of time every other year.Auctions and higher ed aside, her real full-time gig is wife to her firefighting husband Owen and mom to their three young kids, Maggie (9), Connor (8), and Tommy (5). Katie has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, used to enjoy running half marathons (ha! As if my joints would tolerate such abuse now), and holds the title of “First to all Fifty States” amongst her five siblings (but is tied with her sister Missy on the continent count). Katie loves playing cards, hiking, long walks paired with a podcast, baking, and spending time with her family. She is terrible at going to bed but really good at sleeping; she’s also terrible about planning meals but really good at eating; and she loves talking a bit game with Christmas lights but chickens out when it gets too cold and slippery.