April 18, 2025
Get to Know Catherine Frerker
Catherine Frerker joined MCF in March as our new Office Coordinator on the finance and operations team. In this role, Catherine balances supporting her team and the overall MCF office. She serves as the initial point of contact for visitors and callers, prepares for meetings, and keeps the office running smoothly while also supporting accounting and technology operations. “A big part of my role will be finding ways we can become more organized and efficient as a team, whether that’s by digitizing paper files or revamping inefficient processes,” commented Catherine.
Originally from Kansas City, Catherine graduated from University of Oklahoma with a B.A. in Letters (History, Literature, Philosophy and Languages) and Psychology. A job at Epic brought her to the Midwest, and over the last several years, Catherine has become enamored with Madison.
“One of my favorite things about Madison is the vibrant sense of community. If I’m bored, I can always find a festival, show, community event, or park to go to,” stated Catherine. “I also love Madison’s lakes – there is nothing like watching the sunset over Lake Mendota or going out on the ice in the winter!”
In her new role, Catherine is excited to have a more direct tie to the Madison community she has come to know. She conducted several projects for nonprofit organizations in Oklahoma during her undergraduate studies and is grateful to be back in the nonprofit sector.
“MCF supports so many different projects and people, and I love seeing grant money go out the door to organizations that I know are doing essential work,” commented Catherine. “I am inspired by this organization’s ambitions to help our community in new ways that are truly informed by the needs of those in our community.”
Outside of work, Catherine enjoys reading, crafting, being outside, spending time with friends and attending the many cultural events Madison has to offer. “Some of my favorite hobbies are singing in a local community choir and sampling different literary genres with my book club,” said Catherine.
Catherine is also a passionate environmental advocate in her free time. She hosts a biweekly “hour of action” as a part of the Madison chapter of Climate Changemakers for those wanting to advocate for nonpartisan climate policy. Catherine writes blog posts for a local zero waste store, Green Life Trading Company. “I also strive to live a low-waste lifestyle and like finding creative ways to repurpose old items, and I’m excited to find ways to bring this commitment to the MCF office as well,” commented Catherine.