BOSTON - Kate Bergstrom, who most recently served as the executive associate commissioner for the America East Conference, has been named the senior associate director of athletics at Boston University, as announced by director of athletics Drew Marrochello on Tuesday.

Bergstrom has spent more than eight years at America East and was promoted to the executive role this past July. She has been the senior woman administrator at the conference since 2020 and served as interim commissioner in 2021. 

"We are thrilled to welcome Kate to the BU Athletics family," said Marrochello. "From working in Boston for over a decade to having extensive involvement as a senior administrator within America East to competing in the Patriot League as a student-athlete, Kate's experience and career has led her to this opportunity here at BU and we look forward to having her and her expertise as part of our department and campus leadership."     
 
Bergstrom served as America East's chief of staff and oversaw the finances and budget as well as human resources and general business operations. She also led many of the conference's leadership initiatives, including Spread Respect (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) and health, safety and well-being (mental health, sports performance and sports medicine). In addition to working with the SWA Committee and serving as the primary liaison for several key groups, Bergstrom was also the conference's primary administrative contact and championship director for select sports.
 
Currently a member of the NCAA Division I Field Hockey Committee, Bergstrom also served as a member of the American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF)'s College Edition Work Group, assisting with a program to ensure coaches and staff are better able to help students who are experiencing mental health problems connect to appropriate assessment and care.
 
"I am thrilled to embark on this exciting journey as senior associate AD at Boston University and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Drew Marrochello for this incredible opportunity," said Bergstrom. "Joining the BU community is truly an honor and I am eager to collaborate with Drew and the exceptional staff at BU as we collectively strive to elevate the experience for our student-athletes."
 
After joining America East in 2015, Bergstrom received four promotions, first starting as assistant director for administration before being elevated to director of engagement & championships two years later. In 2018 Bergstrom was named associate commissioner for internal operations and in 2020 was promoted to senior associate commissioner while inheriting the SWA role. 

Bergstrom arrived in Boston in 2011 to become a corporate paralegal at Sullivan & Worcester, LLP, and took a job at Brafton, a Boston-based marketing firm, in early 2014 as a business development executive. 

A native of San Francisco, Bergstrom was a captain and two-time Patriot League champion at Colgate as a member of the lacrosse team. She earned a bachelor's in psychology and was part of the Colgate Athletics Leadership Academy.
 
Bergstrom, who has attended the Women Leaders in College Sports Institute of Administrative Advancement, resides in East Boston with her wife, Katelyn Nerbonne, and their two sons, Beckett and Graham.