Kitty earned her bachelor and master's degrees from Northwestern University.

Kitty retired in 2010 as the executive director of Arizona State University Career Services, after serving as the director of ASU's Business Career Center at the W.P. Carey School of Business.

Previously she had been the director of Career and Placement Services at the University of Notre Dame for 15 years at a time when there were few women administrators at Notre Dame.  Kitty was previously the director of Career Services at Indiana University at South Bend and associate director of the Career Center at Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.

Prior to that, Kitty worked for six years holding progressively more responsible positions with the California Employment Development Department in Los Angeles, CA.  Kitty held a variety of significant leadership positions in regional and national university and employer professional associations and received many awards for her exemplary service to her profession and the universities she served. 

In retirement, Kitty was asked to serve in a variety of leadership roles at the First United Methodist Church of Gilbert. Kitty made friends wherever she lived and was a cherished, lifelong friend to many.  People liked and respected her. 

Kitty loved her stepdaughters and they loved her.  With her husband Gary, both enjoyed living in Arizona, watching Notre Dame football and trips to Minnesota.  They were married almost 24 years.

No date has been set for a celebration of Kitty's life which will be held at the First United Methodist Church of Gilbert.  Those wishing to honor her can make a donation to the Gary and Kitty McGrath University of Minnesota, Morris scholarship fund.