Katie Hutchins
PT, DPT
Physical Therapist
University of California SD
University of Washington
LWPT Kirkland

Katie is from Roseville, California and was fortunate to grow up skiing, hiking, and biking in the Sierra Nevada mountains around Lake Tahoe.

She completed her undergraduate degree as a Regent’s Scholar at the University of California in San Diego, receiving a B.S in Physiology and Neuroscience while working as a backpacking guide and captaining San Diego’s (very unofficial) Quidditch team. During that time, she volunteered for local clinics including Gaspar Doctors of Physical Therapy and McCarthy Physical Therapy, as well as larger hospital systems including Kaiser Permanente Northern California and Sutter Health Sacramento.

Katie moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2017 to pursue her doctorate in physical therapy at the University of Washington, serving as the Co-President of her Class of 2020 cohort. She has had the opportunity to work across a range of settings, specialties, and patient populations, having completed independent study and clinical rotations at Harborview Medical Center, Olympic Sports & Spine Rehabilitation, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Swedish Cherry Hill’s Wound Healing Center, and Ida Culver House Broadview. Katie completed her final clinical rotation at Lake Washington Physical Therapy and is very happy to be a part of the Downtown team. She enjoys working with patients of all ages and abilities in the outpatient orthopedic setting.

In 2021 Katie began to take over the LWPT Orthotics program. Katie mentored under LWPT Founder Ben Wobker and now sees almost all orthotics referrals. Katie can help your find a shoe, an over-the-counter, or custom device that will help you accomplish your goals whether that is pain free walking or hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.

Outside of physical therapy, Katie teaches navigation, backpacking, and snowshoe courses as an outdoor school instructor with REI, and occasionally speaks for videos as a part of REI’s Expert Advice series. She continues to ski, hike, and ride as she explores the mountains and waters of the Pacific Northwest.