Kate graduated from RHEMA Bible College in 2002, where she studied Child Development. During that time she also volunteered for an organization in Thailand that prevented and rescued children from Human Trafficking. She has spent over 15 years working across multiple cultures, both in the U.S. and abroad, in various capacities, including as a missionary in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2005. She worked in a children’s home, taught in English Camps and traveled to remote areas with teams to bring humanitarian efforts, which involved relief to Tsunami Refugees. She also worked in Central America, organizing a community library and bringing school supplies to villages in Urraco, Honduras.  

Kate has worked as a Children’s Ministry Director for about 6 years, and most recently she managed a Music, Art and Movement Gym for children 3 months to 5 years old.  She is excited to be joined with a global network of Community Counselors at Au Pair in America, and to be culturally immersed within her local community.

Kate is married to her best friend, Tim, who is a Worship Pastor at a local church and they have been residing in Albany since 2017.  Tim is from South Africa, and combined, they have lived on 4 Continents and traveled to over 20 countries. Tim and Kate most recently took a trip to Istanbul, Turkey and Cape Town, South Africa with their young son, Jude, before adding their newest addition to the family, their daughter Nova. The Bakker family enjoys spending their down time in the outdoors as a family, taking day trips to explore nearby towns, and making the most of the long New York winters, usually by way of binge watching the latest British spy series on Netflix.  You will find Kate blogging at her local coffee shop, or grocery shopping in her happy place, at Trader Joe’s.