Mother, Comic Artist, Writer, Animal Lover, Salt Lake City, USA

I was introduced to Ms. Katie Iverson by her New Yorker sister (and a candidate for WOW Woman I photographed on the streets of SoHo in Manhattan). I had to understand and witness this juxtaposition and divergence in two sisters. Turns out that sass runs in the family, as do contradictions, strength of character and a determination to succeed.

Katie is living in Salt Lake City, a mom to two munchkins. She is a dreamer with a passionate streak for writing and travel. Katie’s self-deprecating wit and charm coexist with a sly and murderous sense of humour (I’m talking belly-aching and cackle-inducing type of laughter). Open and direct about her belief system and the Mormon faith, Ms. Iverson conveyed the initial hesitation to convert and to succumb. She also explained how goodness and kindness of the church keep her energized and content in her spirituality. Such a fascinating and eye-opening connection. Staying true to the WOW Woman’s philosophy of highlighting the multitudes in women, Ms. Katie Iverson fascinates in her contradictions and roles: a Mormon and an opinionated feminist, a mother, dreamer and a comic artist, wife and a sassy comedienne. Katie, I have a ton of respect for you and what you do. I also have so much hope for what's coming your way in the future!

Do read on, to discover much more.

1. Name.

Katie Iverson, maiden name Helfert.

2. Where is your hometown?

Cedar Crest/Sandia Park, New Mexico, USA. It’s a small town in the Sandia Mountains located at roughly 7,00ft/2,157m above sea level.

3. What is your profession/career/title/self-label/designation? What does your average day look like?

Potato Queen, Keeper of the Forest… Okay, joking aside, if I had to give myself some labels, I’d call myself a dreamer, a mother, a comic artist, a writer, and an animal lover.

4. What did you study in school?

I went to college for a short while after high school for English. However due to my horrendous grades I decided to move on to other things with the intention to return when I gain more discipline.

5. What was the journey like to get where you are (in life and career-wise)? Write about some of the achievements that you are most proud of. What was the breakthrough moment for you (in your personal life and/or career?) that set you on the current path in life?

Like most people I have a long-winded story on my life journey so far. Though I have not taken the path I originally had in mind, I have no regrets.  This path has given me two wonderful (if not challenging) little boys, a loving husband, spirituality, several goofy pets, and many, many, fun adventures. Every one of those have brought me to a more wholesome and better version of myself than I might not have earned on my previously envisioned path through life.

If I had to pick one turning my point in my life it would be the choice to become a wife. My husband David is older than I and was ready for the next step in life. He wanted to make a home and a family, and I was still a frivolous heroine ready for the world’s next escapade. So, when David originally purposed the idea of marriage, I got pretty sweaty. The idea of marriage meant settling down, becoming serious and potentially moving toward children. None of which I thought I was ready for.

I asked him some hard questions. The most important of which had to do with my husband’s religion. At the time I had not yet joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and it was important to me that, should I decide not to, he still love me for who I was. This golden man of mine answered: “Of course I would, but I’d feel you were really missing out on something.”

A year after our coming out of an official couple David would drag me up a cliff-side to ask for my hand in marriage. I accepted gladly, and about seven months later on the coldest day on record we would marry in a snowstorm in early May.

6. How is your life different from what you pictured at 20?

To be honest I didn’t have a totally clear picture of my life at 20, but it certainly wasn’t where I am now. I didn’t picture myself married yet, much less a mother of two boys. More so I didn’t picture myself joining the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At 27 I thought I’d be settling down from my anxious and ever moving youth into a more serious dating scene, with the thought of marriage on the horizon. Ha!

7. Was there a time when life knocked you down or out and how did you get back up on your feet?

After the birth of my first son I experienced some postpartum depression. I had many of the classic symptoms, but never fully recognized it for what it was. I was constantly filled with undirected rage, a foggy mindset, and confusion. It was a serious struggle, especially because my son was a very-high-needs baby who slept only in thirty-minute intervals for the first two months of his life. Talk about ugh!

But, I had this notion that this was how it had to be. That I had to give up myself, my identity, for my son. This mindset hit me the hardest right after birth. When I was pregnant with my son everyone was always asking after me, “how do you feel?” “Do you need anything?”, ect. But after birth no one inquired after my feelings, my health, unless they themselves were mothers, and even then, only in brief conversation. It took me realizing that I was not surrounded by mind readers to speak up about it. Though they could see I was having a hard time it was hard to approach someone who “didn’t want to talk about it”.

Though I still have lingering symptoms or whatever you’d like to call them, I now have a great support system around me. My husband, despite having a long day at work comes home every day and helps me with the children. I also have a wonderful pair of brother and sister in laws who will take the children to their house so I can have some alone time with my husband.

9. Knowing what we know now in a current political climate, can women be "all that we can be" in today's world? What is the way forward, as you see it, for "feminist values"?

I think it would help a lot if women, as a general whole, were more united. We need to focus less on tearing each other down and separating ourselves from each other because we don’t agree on this or that in life. Diversity is what makes us such interesting and amazing beings and we should use that to unify and bring new things to bear on the issues we as women and even humans all face. As my husband has so eloquently put it: “We need to focus on destroying the roots of problems rather than the leaves.”

10. Where in the world do you feel “tallest” (i.e. where is your happy place)?

In front of a computer with a blank document open. I really enjoy writing fantasy stories. There I can immerse myself and become anyone. I can be a cutting-edge businesswoman, a turmoiled warrior, a gold-sick dragon, anything my heart desires. When I have blank page before me my mind goes wild with the possibilities.

11. What extra-curricular activities/hobbies are you most proud of? Why?

I love to write, travel, hike, camp, and be outdoors in general! I grew up with two biologists as my parents and they really inspired me to enjoy and appreciate nature.

12. What do you want to be when you grow up? Future goals/challenges?

I am really hoping to finally muster up the courage and publish one of my writings or comics. I, like many others, struggle with the notions of failure or ridicule.

13. What fears are you still hoping to overcome?

The fear of grasshoppers. Okay, but seriously, they’re creepy little things.

I’d also like to kill off my fear of putting myself out there, in the publishing sense. I really hope that one day I will be able to overcome these feelings and finally make the leap.

14. Anything you'd do differently, if you had another go at life?

I don’t feel like I’ve lived enough of my life to really answer that question. For me, the future still has plenty to say.

15. What inspires you?

Passion. I love when someone loves something. It helps to broaden my perspectives and gives me a new insight to something I might otherwise overlook.

Nature. Nature is full of all these wonderful little nuances and intricacies just waiting to be realized! I have a personal theory that nature holds answers many problems we’ve yet to fully discover and even often imitate. Take, for example, the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly or moth. Some of these amazing animals migrate hundreds upon hundreds of miles in their lifetime to a place they have never been. Yet every year these migrating Lepidoptera return. If that wasn’t exciting enough, consider also their transformation from larva to butterfly. Let me reiterate that by saying their brains basically melt. So where does that flight path information get stored?! If that doesn’t sound like nature’s version of “the Cloud” I don’t know what is!

16. What are you hopeful about?

I am hopeful the changes brought on by COVID-19 concerning the meat market in China will ripple across other Asian countries.

18. What are (at least) three qualities you most love about yourself and why?

My ridiculous humor, it will always make me laugh even if no one else thinks I’m funny.

My passion for adventure. I might be a total coward when it comes to the world, but I don’t let that get in the way of seeing and discovering the world!

And finally, my love of gardening. A beautiful flower is one thing, but there’s nothing like decompressing at the end of the day with a little watering and fresh air.

19. What advice would you give your 14-year-old self?

It will work out, but not without some bruised knees, a little heartache, and hard work. Also wear some darned sunscreen.

20. What are you reading now? (what books do you gift most and what are your favourite reads?)

Unfortunately my ability to sit down and read a book has taken a nose dive (thank you children), so I have several miscellaneous books floating around with bookmarks sticking out. They may or may not have dust settled onto them. I take solace in the fact that I can, a least, still read the titles through the dust.

Among them are “Eldest” by ‎Christopher Paolini; It’s the second book to The Inheritance Cycle, “China Rich Girlfriend” by Kevin Kwan; the second to the Crazy Rich Asians Series, and “The Book of Mormon” published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

21. Who is a WOW WOMAN in your world who inspires you and why? Can you nominate three (or more) women you know who perfectly fit WOW WOMAN description? What would you tell them, if you had an opportunity, why you admire them?

Erin, my sister. She is an amazing woman who has continued to blaze a trail of her own beliefs despite many obstacles and tribulations.

Erin, my friend. She is one of my favorite people. Always full of life and stories to tell of her many adventures, Erin is sure to make you feel enthralled and excited for travel and

Karen, my mother. She had inspired me to love nature and never take crap for being a woman.