ABOUT
An Alaska Native Tlingit tribal member, Kate Nelson is an award-winning independent journalist based in Minneapolis who focuses on amplifying important Indigenous change makers and issues. Her writing has appeared in top publications including The New York Times, National Geographic, TIME, the BBC, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, ELLE, Esquire, Teen Vogue, HuffPost, W Magazine, AFAR, Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, the Cut, The Daily Beast, Bustle, Saveur, Andscape, Atmos, Civil Eats, and more. Alongside celebrated Native American chef Sean Sherman, she is the coauthor of the forthcoming book Turtle Island: Foods and Traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America (Clarkson Potter, out November 2025). Kate is also the cofounder of Parallel, a purpose-driven film and television production company dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices and communities.
A proven leader and visionary in consumer publishing with 16+ years of experience, Kate is the former editor-in-chief of Artful Living, a quarterly boutique lifestyle magazine known for its compelling original content and beautiful design. During her tenure there, she was one of few Native American chief magazine editors across the country and one of the youngest female chief editors in the Twin Cities market. In 2024, she stepped down from that role to fully dedicate herself to covering Indigenous topics, which she believes is her life’s work.
Kate has interviewed such luminaries as Padma Lakshmi, Sean Sherman, Quannah ChasingHorse, Sterlin Harjo, Mo Brings Plenty, and more. She is a two-time James Beard Foundation Media Award nominee, a member of the Indigenous Journalists Association, and an advisor for the magazine Calling All Horse Girls. A lifelong storyteller, Kate is also an avid equestrian and a pop culture aficionado.
AWARDS + ACCOLADES