Katie Breen, W1KRB ARRL Membership Manager

Katie joined the ARRL staff in March 2006.  Within a few weeks, she earned her Technician’s license, followed by her General in 2007. She is currently studying to upgrade to Extra as well as learn the art of CW.  She is a regular at special operating events and contests at W1AW.  Most notably, she created and ran real-time blogs and posted videos on youtube.com during the December 2006 “Hello” Operating Event and the February HF Open-House weekend and the revitalization of the ARRL Employees Club Station W1HQ – the Laird Campbell Memorial Station, of which she is now Vice-President.  The popularity of these videos grow, with over 255,000 views on youtube.com, providing a new look at HQ staff having fun with ham radio!   You can catch Katie on the air during the HQ “lunch time” from W1HQ on 40m stateside or catching a bit of DX for lunch on 20m. After building her first antennas for her QTH, she’s discovered the art of soldering to be almost as exciting as DX’ing and Contesting!  She is active on 17m, 20m, and 40m SSB…for now.

As membership manager, she has fostered a team environment and developed new programs and improvements to services for the league resulting in a membership exceeding 154,000, the first significant increase in membership in well over a decade. One of her favorite parts of the job is getting out to local hamfests and conventions and meeting the many diverse people that enjoy ham radio. 

Katie has a degree in Urban & Regional Planning from Central CT State University. She has worked throughout Connecticut in town and regional planning, was director of two transit districts and executive director of an award-winning Main Street program.  She then went onto to develop an old firehouse, create and then manage an award-winning coffee bar/bistro.

Outside of ham radio, Katie’s energy continues in her volunteerism with the Greater Hartford Jaycees (GHJC).  She is the 2009 President for the GHJC Foundation. In addition, she is serving her second year on the Executive Committee as the Volunteer Chairman of Connecticut’s PGA Tour – The 2008 Travelers Championship.  She has won several awards from the Jaycees, including regional and state recognition and recently was awarded the Connecticut Jaycee Statesman award.  In her spare time she enjoys golf, reading, cooking, gardening and solving puzzles.  You can keep up with her activities on www.myspace.com/w1krb.