Kate Monson is a fifth-generation South Dakota farm kid. She's fascinated by values – what Paul Tillich called "ultimate concern." Kate first became a campaign communications director while studying in seminary. She served as the communications director for the Minnesota DFL Party before opening her digital and print design studio. Today she's immersed in visual storytelling that explores values and aims to drive change by connecting with people at an emotional level.
As a creative director, producer, and designer, Kate works across digital and print media to deliver game-changing creative. She’s thrilled to be part of Terrain Media Group and the chance to make a difference for more candidates – particularly those who are trying to make big things happen in less densely-populated areas.
Kate grew up on the South Dakota farm where her family has lived for over 130 years. She started her first graphic design business in second grade, creating book report covers and invitations for friends' First Communion parties on her dad’s inkjet printer. Her first real high school job was doing paste-up for the town newspaper – slicing large sheets of printed copy into column-width strips, running the strips through a wax machine, and assembling them on the broadsheet – a role that no doubt sharpened her lifelong obsession with grids and alignment.
Moving from one cornfield to another, Kate studied religion and classics at St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. She earned her M.A. in religion and theology at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, where she focused on the sociology of religion and the history of Christian thought.
After working in campaign finance and field roles, Kate moved into communications. As Communications Director for the Minnesota DFL Party in 2012, she ran media relations and produced digital content to help the DFL regain both legislative majorities, flip the Eighth District to elect Congressman Rick Nolan, re-elect Senator Amy Klobuchar, and defeat both an anti-marriage equality amendment and a voter restriction amendment. Since then, Kate’s design work has continued to help the DFL raise millions of dollars through direct mail, event marketing, and merchandise.
In 2013, Kate launched a design studio focused on branding, print, and digital media. She consulted with campaigns and nonprofits throughout the country on communications, brand development, direct mail, events, and fundraising. In 2016, she led digital and mail strategy for Cap the Rate, a campaign for the ballot initiative that effectively ended abusive payday lending practices in South Dakota by capping exorbitant interest rates.
Kate co-founded digital advertising and direct mail firm FSSG with Isaac Wright in 2017. Since then, their team has helped to elect some truly outstanding candidates, notched crucial policy victories across the country, and received dozens of national awards for innovative advertising strategies, creative, branding, web design, and direct mail.
Kate was among the American Association of Political Consultants’ “40 Under 40 Class of 2018” and named a “2018 Rising Star” by Campaigns & Elections Magazine. She is a political partner in the Truman National Security Project, which honored her and Isaac Wright with the 2018 Harry S. Truman Award for Political Leadership. Kate was a 2016 New Leaders Council Fellow and serves on the Louisiana chapter advisory board. She also serves on the board of directors of The Juror Project, a New Orleans-based nonprofit working to increase jury diversity.