Staff Biography
Kat Preston-Wager
APSWI Curriculum Development Specialist
kprestonwager@sdsu.edu
(619)594-0976
Katherine (Kat) Preston-Wager recently joined the APSWI program as a Curriculum Development Specialist. Prior to working at the Academy for Professional Excellence, she was a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) with the Department of the Navy.
As a SARC, she is considered a Subject Matter Expert on the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Program and worked with various stakeholders such as NCIS, RLSO, Command Leadership and SAPR team members to improve the initial intervention services for victims and help survivors of sexual assault navigate the Military Justice System and various referrals.
Before working as a SARC, she was a Prevention Educator with the Center for Community Solutions, the local San Diego Rape Crisis Center, where her love for facilitating trainings and curriculum development originated.
Learn more about Kat:
When did you join the Academy, and what was your position when you first joined?
I joined the Academy in November of 2017 as a Curriculum Development Specialist for at the time, a team of 3. As the Curriculum Development Specialist, I get to develop and craft training and workforce development tools for Adult Protective Services (APS) professionals which are accessed by APS programs within our state as well as across our country. I collaborate with subject matter experts in the field to provide APS professionals with tools to build their confidence and increase their investigative skills.
How has working at the Academy revolutionized your career and/or life?
I never knew work/life/play balance could be obtainable. I have often enjoyed my jobs, but was never fully present in all three: work, life, and play. I feel the support we give each other, the role modeling from our colleagues and leaders allows for this to truly happen.
What is your favorite part of the job?
I am so grateful to work at the Academy because we value each other. We honor the skills we, as individual staff, bring as well as value the lessons and opportunities to learn from our colleagues. We value the opinions, needs, and experiences of our stakeholders and partners, and communities. It just feels like everyone is seen as important and has the opportunity to influence either a process, a project, or a program. I love having the opportunity to show up as I am; my true, whole, authentic self, and that many others feel safe to do the same.
What is a fun fact we should know about you?
I would eat sashimi every day if I could afford it!
What are your StrengthsFinder Top 5?
Communication, Empathy, Relator, Developer, Maximizer