Katharine Palmer joined Ohio Athletics in July 2023 as Associate Athletics Director, serving as sport administrator for men’s basketball, softball and field hockey.
In September 2025, she added executive operations to her title, leading the team that supports the Director of Athletics, the President’s Office, and the Board of Trustees. She also oversees Ohio’s licensing and branding strategies and the equipment staff.
Palmer directs the sport operations unit, managing scheduling, game contracts, and event operations. She also drives strategic initiatives for sports programs and oversees planning and implementation of department-wide projects.
Palmer previously spent five years as the director of operations for Charlotte men’s basketball, handling team travel, recruiting visits, budgets and events, including a 2022 foreign tour to Costa Rica. She was selected for the Teamworks Basketball Leadership Committee in 2019.
Before Charlotte, Palmer spent 11 years as a member of the athletics department at the University of Virginia from 2007-2018, including six seasons with the men’s basketball program. In that role, she provided operational support and organized Tony Bennett’s basketball camp each summer. She also assisted with recruiting, fan outreach, community service, and team travel.
Prior to joining the Cavaliers men’s basketball staff, Palmer spent five years as an assistant director of media relations at Virginia. She worked with the field hockey, swimming and diving and softball teams. She was named to Swimming World’s honorable mention list three times for their annual SID of the Year award and led all publicity efforts for six Virginia student-athletes leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.
Her career began at Wisconsin in media relations, supporting women’s soccer and assisting with football and women’s basketball publicity efforts. A Defiance, Ohio native, Palmergraduated from The Ohio State University in 2005 with a communications degree, worked in athletics communications as an undergraduate, and interned with the U.S. Olympic Committee.
She is a member of Women Leaders in College Sports.
