Alumni Merit Awardee, 2024

Kate Golden is senior vice president, general counsel, for Mortenson, a commercial builder and developer headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, that engages in a variety of complex construction projects throughout North America, including commercial buildings, hospitals, hotels, sports facilities, wind and solar energy generation facilities, battery storage and power transmission, and other public and private projects. In that role, Kate is responsible for the company’s legal function and corporate governance and also serves on the senior leadership team responsible for the management and strategic direction of the company.

Kate received her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Iowa and her master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Minnesota and is a professional engineer (PE) licensed in Minnesota. She obtained her law degree from Mitchell | Hamline College of Law and clerked for Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz before practicing construction law at a law firm. Kate has taught "Construction Law" as an adjunct professor in Minnesota law schools, as well as "Legal and Ethical Issues in Construction" to undergraduates in the construction management program at the University of Minnesota. She regularly presents on engineering ethics and other topics.