Kaitlin first found her passion for housing justice when she became a resident of the housing co-ops at the Solar Community Housing Association (SCHA), where she lived for three years while studying at UC Davis. As a resident, she served as Vice President on the Board of Directors, working with other residents to democratically govern and operate the co-ops as community-controlled low-income housing. It was at SCHA that Kaitlin began to envision a housing future that centers housing as a fundamental human right and a resource that belongs to the community - not landlords. In 2017, the North American Students of Cooperation recognized Kaitlin as a "Mover & Shaker" in the Cooperative Hall of Fame for her achievements as resident. Kaitlin also worked at SCHA as Land Stewardship Coordinator, working closely with residents to steward the co-ops' gardens, restore landscapes, grow food and grow leaders in land stewardship.

Beyond her work in housing, Kaitlin is deeply passionate about land justice and food justice. Since graduating from UC Davis with a Bachelor's in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, she has co-managed a queer and women-run small-scale organic peach farm in Davis, managed an urban community garden and youth leadership program in Sacramento, become a California Political Leadership Fellow at the Young Farmers Coalition, and most recently milked goats and made cheese at a goat dairy in Kilauea. She now volunteers regularly to malama 'aina around the island and build models for collective land sovereignty rooted in community.