Dr. Katz has been a practicing physician assistant for over 30 years and has worked in physician assistant education since 2000. She earned her bachelor's of arts degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a couple years later attended the Johns Hopkins University Health Associate (i.e. physician assistant) Program. In 1988 Dr. Katz earned a master's of science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In May of 2011 she completed her dissertation entitled, Becoming Culturally Competent: Clinical Service Learning in Physician Assistant Education, and received a PhD from the Marquette University's (Milwaukee, WI) School of Education.

As a physician assistant, Dr. Katz has worked in family practice, women's health, neurology, emergency medicine, and pediatrics. Presently she coordinates a free clinic for children in Waukegan, IL. Dr. Katz has developed and taught courses on cultural competence in health care, pediatrics, population medicine, and emergency medicine. She joined the RFUMS faculty in 2005, and is presently the Academic Coordinator for the Physician Assistant Program overseeing the didactic year curriculum.

Dr. Katz has witnessed many changes in the delivery of health care in over the past 4 decades, and believes that all people have a right to high quality medical services. In addition she takes a global view of health care having had the opportunity to work in clinics in Belize and Guatemala. Dr. Katz is a proponent of interprofessional education that prepares health care professional students to work respectfully and effectively together to provide patient-centered, evidence-based health care.