Katherine “Kate” Ballard is a pediatric nurse practitioner and instructor of surgery in the Division of Pediatric Surgery at the OHSU School of Medicine. She cares for pediatric patients in both the hospital and clinic setting who undergo general surgical procedures or experience traumatic injuries or serious conditions such as appendicitis, intestinal perforations, biliary and intestinal atresias and others.

Kate enjoys creating relationships with patients and families and helping them navigate the care plan. She takes a team-based, patient- and family-centered approach to care, seeking to understand the patient’s entire picture, address the family’s concerns and answer any questions that arise.

She also has a unique background in geographic information systems (GIS), which allows her to analyze health data from a spatiotemporal perspective. In 2021, she published research on the relationship between Lyme disease and land cover types, which was recognized for its novel approach.

Outside of work, she enjoys legislative advocacy and traveling.