Kate Stirr

Role: Moderator

Kate Stirr is the Vice President of External Affairs at Natel, where she leads policy, government affairs, and the global introduction of the company’s FishSafe™ turbine technology. An active leader within NHA, she co-chairs the National Hydropower Association’s Water Power Innovation Council and also works to align industry and environmental stakeholders through the Uncommon Dialogue. Prior to Natel, Kate spent seven years at Alphabet (Google X) prototyping hardware for projects like self-driving cars and delivery drones, later managing communications and directing a feature-length documentary for the Makani airborne wind project. Driven by the mission to strengthen connections between technology and the natural world, she holds an MFA from Mills College and specializes in bridging the gap between complex engineering and sustainable resource management.