Kate McCarthy Barnett ’85
Dr. Kate McCarthy-Barnett is a 1985 graduate of Coventry High School who has distinguished herself as an individual who has conquered adversity, achieved distinction in the field of emergency management, and has worked tirelessly on behalf of people with disabilities and the elderly during times of natural disasters.
While at Coventry High School, Kate developed a chronic illness that at times caused her to be bed-ridden and required her to be home tutored. Though it was difficult, Kate never gave up and graduated from CHS in June 1985.
After graduating, Kate worked to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees and then a Doctorate in Education. She then moved on to conduct research and teach courses relating to eliminating barriers to education and employment for people with disabilities. For 10 years, she also wrote a column for the Providence Journal called “disABILITY” where she explored the problems encountered by those with disabilities and highlighted people who overcame adversity to lead product lives.
Over the last several years, Kate has worked for the US Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency, as one of the first Regional Disability Integration Specialists across the country, where she leads the Agency’s commitment to integrating the needs of people with disabilities into all aspects of emergency management. She has led disability response operations serving on the Command Staff for over 45 federally declared natural disasters including tornadoes, hurricanes, severe winter storms, mudslides, and flooding. She is a subject matter expert on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) incident response for vulnerable populations with a research focus on decontamination procedures for at-risk casualties during a mass casualty chemical incident. Continuing her commitment to equitable disaster response, she has served as a representative to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
In addition, Kate has served in executive leadership roles for the RI Governor’s Commission on Disabilities, Office of State Rehabilitation Services, Department of Health Women’s Health Advisory Council, and Centers for Independent Living. She served on the US President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities Communications Committee and has been active on numerous committees and Boards of Directors focused on setting policy for individuals with disabilities. Dr. McCarthy-Barnett has conducted research studies and authored numerous articles and is known for her work on advancing inclusive emergency management for individuals with disabilities and other vulnerable populations.
The Coventry High School community is deeply indebted to Kate because of her contributions to the disabled in Rhode Island and at the national level. She continues to make a significant difference for others and provide leadership, helping to turn disabilities into abilities.