Alumni Highlights

February 2026 – Katie Warehime ’09 & Laura Harkins Kelly ’08

Katie Warehime ’09 and Laura Harkins Kelly ’08 are the February Alumni Highlight. Both are Shepherd Athletic Hall of Fame inductees for Women’s Basketball.

For the February 2026 Alumni Highlight, Katie Swayne, director of alumni affairs, and Randy Friend, president of the Shepherd University Alumni Association, sat down for a Zoom conversation with alumni Katie Warehime and Laura Kelly. This interview marks the first podcast-style Alumni Highlight, offering a more in-depth and conversational look at our alumni stories.

Watch the full interview video above.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

Katie Swayne: Hi everybody. I am Katie Swayne, director of alumni affairs at Shepherd University and this is our very first alumni highlight podcast and I have a few people with me. I’m going to let them introduce themselves as well. Randy, would you like to go?

Randy Friend: Yeah. So, hello everybody. Randy Friend, current president of the alumni association. Super excited for all of you to join us today as we kind of embark on this brand new format. Katie, you want to go next?

Katie Warehime: Sure. Well, thank you both for having me and Laura. Definitely excited to be able to chat and share about my wonderful time at Shepard and how it’s impacted me. So, my name is Katie Warehime. I graduated from Shepherd in 2009. I have my bachelor’s degree in psychology and I also minored in education while I was there. Today I work as the associate director of program delivery and executive coaching for University of Virginia Darden School of Business in their executive education and lifelong learning. And I primarily focus on our military and government programs. Just a little bit about me.

Katie S: Thank you Katie; Laura.

Laura Kelly: I have to go after that. Hi everybody. I’m Laura Kelly. When I was in my good old Shepherd days, I was Laura Harkins. I’m a 04 to 08 alumni. Go Ram Pack. I Let’s see. I started off as a fitness exercise science major and actually added on therapeutic recreation. Danielle, one of our basketball teammates, introduced me to that my freshman year of college. So, very blessed that I got that dual concentration because now I run my own business. Uh it’s empower recreational therapy and it is a mobile service that provides fitness and exercise science and rec therapy to older adults in the North Atlanta area. So happy to be here and to support Katie and to represent Shepherd University Rams.

Randy: Clearly if we need somebody to come in and do the announcement, Laura, your application has officially been submitted. Right. So yeah. No, thank you. You probably heard it enough as on your time on the court, right? you’re like if you woke up in dreams of just hearing that phrase, I’m sure. So, um it’s super exciting for me to be a part of this conversation because I was actually working at Shepherd at the time. Both of you were there. So, I got to work very closely with Melanie and I think Gail was there at that time as well. So, I was over the admissions and enrollment area during your time as students there. And I always used to joke, I’m like, you know, all the male sports, they needed our time, the female sports needed the money from us, right? So, we wanted to make sure we could we could contribute as much of that. So, Katie, when you got your opportunity to be submitted to the Hall of Fame, so congratulations on that as an amazing thing on its own. Your story that you shared with that entire group was absolutely amazing. It really kind of hit home for me of like how much that connection for Shepherd can be for people, even though when you know as kind of you even said it during that day was, you know, what is the school? You know, I’ve never really heard of it. I was at a division one. You kind of expect those opportunities there, but you really had had some amazing opportunities. So, my hope for kind of part of our conversation is that you can share a little bit of that same story you shared that day uh with us. And then, you know, obviously Laura, you were a big part of that as well. We would love to be able to hear kind of your side of that. So, Katie, if you don’t mind starting us off with that, that’d be great.

Katie W.: Of course. Thank you. And it was definitely an honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame among my great teammate Laura. Um and so you know I had a good person to follow in footsteps and you know again it’s kind of like a full circle moment. So Laura and I grew up near each other about 30 minutes apart from each other but we never met until that day that I came to Shepherd and when I was looking to transfer my dad actually googled Laura to see where she ended up because Laura and I were both player of the year the same year. So her junior year in high school and my sophomore year in high school, we were our divisions players of the year, which again the actual the heading of the article was like the best is yet to come. And if that isn’t like telling of our journey together for almost 20 years, I think now maybe not that many, but yeah, it’s been a while that we’ve been in each other’s lives. And so when again, you know, I was looking to transfer, my dad looked up where Laura was, and you know, I had never heard of Shepherd. it wasn’t on my radar when I was in high school and looking to play basketball. And you know, as I said, my dad is always right. And so, he just knew about these things. And when I arrived on Shepherd’s campus, he said, you know, this is where I was supposed to be. And it truly just kind of went from there. I remember the team driving up in a minivan, which Laura drove, and I was like, who are these people? You know, the school I was at was right outside New York City, so it was a totally different landscape from where I was. But again, you know, there’s just something about the Ram Pack and being a part of this team for two years that has just been so life-changing for me.

Randy: Yeah. And Laura, do you remember kind of driving up because I’m certain if it was a university van, there’s no doubt in my mind you had all the permissions to drive that. I have no doubt. Um, do you kind of remember that moment a little bit?

Laura: Oh, I absolutely do. I remember when I first was told that Katie Warehime was going to be touring at Shepherd University and I literally looked at coach and I was like, “If she comes, we’re going to win it all.” Like that was just like our standpoint. Um because again I had read about her throughout my high school and I was just like what this is this is insane. So of course I pulled out like the best vehicle I could find, right? Which is the minivan. Um I won’t go into the details of that. Let’s just say that my car was in the shop, so I was driving my mom’s minivan. So humble beginnings, my friends. Um but anyway, it’s wild because um Katie had been through so much um through division one. Um, and for her to just kind of pick herself up and to kind of, you know, be vulnerable and tell us some of what she went through. Um, and it was just like an immediate bond and friendship. And I just remember walking around with her on campus. I was like, “Do you like to dance?” She’s like, “Do I?” So, we just had like this immediate bond of just like music and sports. Um, and Katie came and she was literally the missing piece um to our team. And I give a lot of credit to coach Runner and coach Ford as well because that year we were actually ranked to be sixth in the conference and coach started this chant called “yeah champ” and basically we picked out our championship rings before the season ranked sixth in the conference and everybody had this psychology of we’re going to do this like this this is our year this like Katie is the missing piece and like how many people can say that in their lives we made it all happen together so it’s pretty incredible story.

Katie W.: That is chills. I got chills.

Randy: I know. Like literally picking out…I’m like what kind of Indiana football like mind you know idea is that, that’s super cool. So you know as Katie you mentioned Laura she kind of knew of you before she came to Shepherd. Did you have that same type of knowledge? I mean it sounds like you did kind of knowing that when she came on campus a little bit from that perspective. Is that kind of an accurate statement?

Laura: Oh yeah absolutely. Um, and actually we ran against each other in high school track. Um, which is really funny because um, to be completely honest, I really was only good at one race u in high school and it was just one lap 400 meter. So I was always like that was the one that I took very seriously. Um, I was very competitive in it. Um, and Katie and I ran against each other in the 4×4 and I’ll let Katie tell you her first impression of me in high school because it’s actually pretty embarrassing.

Katie W.: No, it it’s pretty embarrassing and pretty accurate though because now knowing Laura for all these years. So, we were I remember it was like a super cold, rainy, it’s like the last run of the meet and there was this girl, you know, didn’t know it was Laura and my team is like huddled and we’re like trying to warm up and all I see is a girl in like bright blue cuz those were her school colors, spandex, long spandex pants and she’s just jumping up and down and we are like who is this girl? Like what is she doing? And she was just so full of energy and I’m like this girl is out of control. Little did I know like she was going to become my best friend, you know, like it really was we had so many moments of just like our paths not really crossing, but you know, I will have to say I learned about Laura from her dad. So her dad used to ref my high school games. Her dad was a ref in the area and we knew him as Disco Joe because he would moonwalk down the court when he would call like a walk and like everything that he did was like dancing style. And so, you know, again, knowing Laura now totally tracks. But I remember I was warming up for a game and her dad came up. I’m literally warming up and he’s like, “Do you know my daughter?” I was like, “No.” And he’s like, “Laura Harkins, do you know my daughter?” I was like, “I do not know your daughter, sir.” You know, and again, it’s just all these like moments that, you know, now like knowing her parents and loving her parents and her dad and just her, you know, again, there were so many just again full circle moments that it all has kind of played out the way it was supposed to be.

Randy: Yeah. I mean, that’s pretty amazing. It sounds like uh Laura clearly you got your dance moves from your dad uh you know from kind of how the story goes here. So you know as you guys had kind of continued through you got through the championship year. Can you kind of tell us a little bit and those who are joining us today a little bit about kind of how your relationship has I would probably even you know say grown and kind of been through some ups and downs. Uh I’m not going to say how many years because that’s even going to tell how many years it’s been since I was a student there but you know for this journey we’re all on just kind of share with us a little bit about that

Laura: Yeah, maybe I’ll go first because let me How do I put this into words? Even before I met Katie, I believed in this woman, right? Like I just believed like I’ve never believed in something so much that I’ve never like it’s just I can’t even explain it. Um so just to have that feeling of like knowing she was coming and being so confident and sure in her like that’s just kind of sets the tone for like the rest of our friendship. And she’s always pushed me on and off the court. So, I’ll never forget when we were in the Butcher Center and like actually starting to like practice with her, Katie would like get a rebound and I ran track, right, and this girl be gone. I’m like, “Oh, this is legit.” Like this girl, this is D1, right? Like this girl pushed me from day one. She was like, “Bye.” Right? So, she was always somebody that pushed you on the court, but she also pushed me off the court as a person. And I’ll try not to get emotional. Um, but what I mean by that is like Katie’s a type of person where, you know, if you don’t know her, you might take it the wrong way, but like she’s got a big heart, so she’ll be the one to be like, Laura, like let’s think about that, right? Like she’ll be the one to like address it because she cares about you as a person. And I’ve learned so much in my own personal journey and just what I went through with losing my dad and just different things throughout the, you know, all the ups and downs, like you were saying, Randy, of life. And like Katie has really taught me so much about leaning on people and just being authentically yourself. Um, and I just really appreciate that about Katie because we also bring the humor to it, right? You can’t get through this world without humor and friendship. So, um, I really admire that and Katie.

Randy: Nice. Yeah. Katie, you want to add anything to that? I mean, obviously it’s a lot. You know, you pat yourself on the back. You have every opportunity for that now. But, yeah, I mean, you know, what do you want to add to that?

Katie W.: I can only say, you know, the same about Laura. I think we’re people used to like not be able to tell us apart on the court, you know, because we do kind of look a lot alike. And I think our differences and our similarities are what kind of just make us, you know, kind of one. You know, we always joke that it’s like going to be us at the end because it’s just all these things keep happening in life and you know, we’ve just kind of stuck together. And when you think about it, Laura and I were only together for one year at Shepherd. And what we went through in that year has maintained this friendship of, you know, I can call Laura at any time and I know that she’s going to pick up and she’s going to be there for me. And like she said, we’ve laughed through a lot of pain and we’ve had a lot of great times. I mean, we’re still dancing. We just went out and danced, you know, this summer. you know, we that’s like, you know, we just have some of the same passions. And I think growing up in Pennsylvania and having such wonderful parents and families has just kind of set that foundation for us. And, you know, I think Laura was selling herself short. I mean, she’s the CEO of her company. She started that company. You know, she believed in herself and, you know, she did something that no one else has ever done. And I think that’s, you know, just how Laura is as a person. You know, my dad likes to say, you can’t be around Laura and not have fun. I mean, she just brings the personality to everything that she does. I still remember when I came for my official visit, Laura was like doing some of her internship and she came back and she was like Taz, like we like to say sometimes, you know, she was just like full of this energy and she’s like, “Let me take you” and she just took me around Shepherd and I think from that moment it just kind of, you know, bonded us and like she said, it’s just I can’t imagine life without Laura.

Randy: So, yeah, that’s awesome. Yeah, it’s so funny. I have a somebody referred to that kind of energy like you said Taz somebody once told me it was like uh you find a person who has golden retriever energy like just constantly like yeah let’s go let’s go right and so you know having people in your life like that can be so impactful and even as Laura you know as Katie said about you being the CEO of your own company and being able to kind of have those opportunities and really kind of push each other uh along um is a great it’s a beautiful story honestly uh I’m curious Laura and you know Katie you were over in Europe playing ball for a bit, right. Laura, did you ever get a chance to go and see her play or I mean, I’m assuming you probably followed, but I didn’t know if you.

Laura: Yeah. No, I didn’t get to see her play. Um Gosh. But I tell you what, I feel like she still could. I don’t know. It’s just wild to me. I mean, Katie can still like she still um coaches high school now and it’s just amazing to me because um I just I haven’t played basketball in a long time and I’m just afraid of what that would look like. But Katie is still doing her thing. Um, so but yeah, I mean Katie, what was your accolades in Germany?

Katie W.: I don’t remember. No, I mean I, you know, again, I had success there and it was a great year and it was, you know, again, I very driven in goal setting as a kid and that was one of my goals was to play professional basketball and when I was growing up or when we were growing up it was the NBA, you know, there was no WNBA. You didn’t really hear about going over to play professionally and so when the WNBA came about and I was like, well, I know I’m not going there. But the opportunity came to go to Germany and it was just a lifelong dream and you know a free trip to Europe and you know my parents were able to come over and my brother came over and were able to see me play and so yeah it was just a great year and then you know after that I went to Clemson and again Laura was in Atlanta and so we were only about two hours apart and so we were able to hang out a lot there as well. So again we’ve just kind of you know our lives have always kind of had this parallel path together even when we didn’t think they would.

Randy: That’s so awesome. That’s awesome. And so Laura, are you still in the Atlanta area now? Is that correct?

Lauran: I am.

Randy: And Katie, where are you at?

Katie W: I’m in Northern Virginia.

Randy: Okay. So, um Oh, so it’s nice to at least be able to kind of keep that togetherness even though you guys are, you know, a little bit apart from theirs. So, you know, as two people that have kind of grown together, right? I didn’t know the part where you guys had only played together for a year. So, that part is really cool about you talk about finding your person, right? Um, and Katie, I love the fact that you said, you know, one day we’re going to be the last two standing and sometimes, you know, it’s a little Thelma and Louise maybe, right? But, you know, this is this is kind of a good scenario where you have two people that are really strong together. Seeing that, you know, what, you know, as a as a coach and obviously Laura as a CEO and you really kind of um help people in their ways, you know, what what’s some kind of thoughts or uh you know, words of wisdom maybe you have for two current ball players or two current Shepherd students who, you know, are now meeting their person like, you know, have you ever had a chance to kind of reflect on that and think, man, I would tell somebody this um you know, in that scenario when my person pulls up in a minivan that their mom drives, right? Whatever it may be.

Laura: Yeah, I mean you’re forming friendships for life, right? Because even, you know, our teammates now, sure you talk all the time, but it’s just an unbreakable bond as an as an athlete with your teammates just um you know, because you’re getting up early in the morning, right? You’re just having all those memories for those years. Um and my gosh, my freshman year with our six freshmen that were coming in, I mean, it is just the biggest melting pot of just the most unique individuals I think I’ve ever met. That’s something I’ve really appreciated about Shepherd is just the diversity. Um, and just really just you’re in the middle of nowhere, but you’re not, right? Like it’s just like the best kept hidden secret. And I guess the best thing I would tell people is just that it’s lifelong friendships, you know? So, of course, enjoy your academics, you know, get the volunteer experience, get your hands on because I mean that’s really what shaped my, you know, I would not be where I am today without the academics, but also like you’re forming bonds for life. Um, the other part I would add is the families. I think that’s something that I’ve really treasured was, you know, our families would all sit together, right? And just really making it a true community, right? That’s what Shepherd is. It’s not just going there looking at your statistics, right? And your wins and losses are great, but it’s also like this is a family. And I think that’s also what made it unique to me when I visited Shepherd initially. It’s just that community.

Randy: Yeah. Katie, anything to add to that?

Katie W.: And I would just say as Laura said, you know, Coach Runner came up with a “yeah champ” and that was really like our shared goal. Like we really believed that we were going to win the championship and we all knew what our role was and what our job was and we held each other accountable and it it wasn’t, you know, fighting for like who was going to be, you know, the leading scorer, who’s going to do this this game. Like we just wanted to win and you know, we understood as a team that’s what it takes is everyone has to know their role. And like Laura said, we just had so much fun together and really just valued each individual person and what they brought to our team on and off the court. And you know, the bonds that we really did make have, you know, stayed together and, you know, at my Hall of Fame, like I think it’s just a testament to our team. You know, it was pouring down raining at halftime of the football game and, you know, all of my teammates were there and my families were there in in the stands just like cheering for me. you know, not to get emotional, but it just shows you, you know, the bond that Shepherd has brought us to and the Ram Pack and just I know that I can call any one of those people and even if I haven’t seen them in a year, I know that they’re going to pick up the phone and they’re going to support me um you know, through anything. And I just, you know, am so grateful for that. And I think anyone who plays sports, I tell you know, our girls here is, you know, soak it up because very there’s not very as you’re adult that you can play basketball, which you love, travel, you know, go out to meals, get free t-shirts, you know, do all these things with your friends, you know, like that. You don’t get that opportunity when you’re an adult. So, really just cherish those moments that you have together.

Randy: Yeah. Beautifully said. Beautifully said. Yeah. It’s um you know, as we kind of wrap up here, I really appreciate both of you uh telling your story to us, sharing it with with everybody here. I think it’s such a cool experience just to hear folks that have really made that connection over time and really kind of uh you know, Laura, as you said, I think you said it really nicely was like having that person who kind of supports you to push you to that next level, right? Even off the court, right? I would gather to say there’s probably opportunities as Laura, you went and stepped into this idea of being a CEO of your own company. Like that comes with its own challenges, right? And being able to have somebody that’s in your corner and cheering you on to be able to do that is so impactful.

Laura: So, and also call you out and tell you no.

Randy: Yeah. I didn’t want to call her out on that, right? But yeah, you know, it’s always the double-edged sword for all of us to be able to have that. But, you know, I think that somebody would tell you you’re wrong.

Katie W.: In the nicest way possible. In the nicest way possible.

Laura: The sandwich approach.

Randy: That’s what that’s what everybody always says, right? They always tell you the nicest way, but it never feels the best. Uh so, no, that’s super cool. So, uh again, I want to thank you both so much for taking the time out of your schedule and sharing with us your incredible story. Laura, I’ll give you a chance if you want to plug your company a little bit. Um please take a moment and do that. We love to promote uh businesses here that are alumni based. Um Katie (Swayne) and I are big on that initiative. So if you want to take a second and do that, we’d love for you to have that moment.

Laura: Yeah, sure. Um you know, when my dad had a stroke my freshman year of college at Shepherd, I just always was trying to improve access to recreational therapy. Uh kind of my driving force. So um Empower Recreational Therapy. We’re in North Atlanta, Georgia. We provide individual and group services primarily for um adults 50 plus. We do have some younger clients. Um but just basically what’s life like after something happens, right? Life hits a lot of different ways, physical, mental health, and we come in there and we’re kind of that second hope. We really focus on quality of life and improving that. So, very proud and honored to um provide that uh platform for people.

Randy: That’s amazing. I mean, that’s huge in in so many ways. And um giving those people that that that opportunity for that quality is something a lot of folks need. Absolutely.

Laura: So, yeah, who knows franchise in Shepherdstown.

Randy: Hey, look, you know, we’re all for it. So, uh, make that happen as we can or at least in Northern Virginia, right? We got to get you up there, Katie. I’m sure connection somehow some way, right? Um, so again, thank you both. Uh, want to let all of our viewers know, um, hey, the alumni game for women’s basketball, I think it’s what, February 7th, right, Katie?

Katie S.: Yep. Basketball alumni day. Um, I’m sure you both have maybe seen the email invitations or something on social media or even from the coaches. I know they’ve been reaching out to alums. February 7th, um we’re gonna have a Skybox reception in the Starkey Skybox during both games. So you can come hang out in the skybox the whole time. Um so yeah, that’ll be February 7th. I believe the women’s game starts at 1 and the men’s game starts at 3. So if you’re around and able to come up, come join us.

Randy: Yeah, absolutely. And so, you know, for those of us who are joining us on this very first digital podcast, we’re trying to, you know, come into the 20th century at some level, right? Um, and so, you know, we really appreciate everybody joining us. Look, if you know of any other alumni incredible stories or the people who’ve lived through them, you want to share something that’s interesting or you know somebody who should share something interesting with us here from the alumni association and think this would be a great format, please reach out to myself, reach out to Katie (Swayne) through any of the social media tracks. Um, and we’ll be certain to try to keep this moving forward. Again, Katie and Laura, thank you both so much for your time today. Uh, and go Rams!

Laura: Yeah, Ramble!

The Shepherd University Alumni Association is proud of Katie’s and Laura’s accomplishments and the lifelong connection they built. Shepherd Students Succeed!

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