Katie Durham
Co-Chair, Metro EDGE; Communications Specialist, Sutter Health
This story is part of our July 2026 Young Professionals issue. To read the print version, click here.
Katie Durham loves a group project. “I’ve always been part of groups and organizations and teams,” says the 32-year-old Sacramento native. “I was the kid that was taught if you join the swim team, you have to finish the season.”
While attending a marketing class at Chico State University, Durham watched a documentary about a team of design engineers who sought to perfect the vegetable peeler. They sallied out to their local grocery store to engage the public in their research, and through a series of trials in the produce aisle, they determined that a bicycle handle provided the best comfort and grip.
Durham recounts how moved she was by the film. “It’s really silly, but it’s something that truly impacts your everyday. I mean, if you’re a cook, you have to peel your potatoes and carrots,” she says. “That’s what started my love for being involved with the public and getting public input to change something.”
She speaks fondly of her first “big girl” job at communications and public outreach firm AIM Consulting, where she was part of a team that staged a lantern festival on Sacramento’s I Street Bridge for a study on how to convert its lanes to allow only foot and bicycle traffic.
After that, she led the resource and development department at Yolo County Children’s Alliance and served as vice president of member engagement at the California Manufacturers & Technology Association.
Her current role as a communications specialist for the Greater Sacramento division of Sutter Health affords less time out in the field, but Durham still interfaces with the public. “Being at Sutter, it’s such a large organization that you have to make sure you have the right people at the table and the right information,” she says. “It’s still about making sure people have the information they need.”
Durham’s volunteer work at Metro EDGE, Sacramento Metro Chamber Foundation’s young professionals program, satisfies her need for teamwork and community engagement. She joined the leadership council in 2022, served as chair in 2025 and is co-chair for 2026, alongside Nancy Eldred, vice president of public affairs at NAMI California.
As co-chair, Durham’s focus is on growing the organization’s membership and reputation in the age of remote work. A remote worker herself, she thinks people today crave connection and are in need of a midweek mixer, which Metro EDGE is known to facilitate. These networking events are a beacon to Sac’s brightest young minds (and are also a good time).
“The thing I’m most proud of is the people,” Durham says. “They’re incredibly ambitious, and they choose to spend their time with us. … I would love for Metro EDGE to become one of those organizations where employers say, ‘If I want to find future leaders, that’s where I need to look.’”
“You have to be informed and present in your community to make it what you want.”
Durham has an openness and an eagerness to connect that make her an approachable role model. She’s candid about experiencing imposter syndrome, especially in the silo of remote work. “Those little voices in your head start trying to break down your confidence in who you are and what you’re good at,” she says.
Her advice is to seek good company and stay engaged: “You have to be informed and present in your community to make it what you want.”
Beyond Metro EDGE, Durham serves on the board of United Cerebral Palsy of Northern California, among other volunteer work. Her fiance, Ian Corcoran, a project manager at WeidnerCA, supports her busy life, along with her formerly stray cat, Slink, who’s found a home with them in East Sacramento. In her free time, Durham loves running, hiking, swimming, practicing Pilates and walking around town.
In light of America’s 250th, Durham says, “One of the most meaningful aspects of being American, in my experience, is the ability to create change at the local level. Even in challenging times, our communities hold real power. When we engage (voting locally, participating in neighborhood associations, or attending city and community meetings), we can influence decisions and see the impact in tangible ways.”
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View the list of honorees from 2015 through 2026.
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