Fast Five: Kate Coyle

Meet Kate Coyle, an elder law attorney who lives in downtown Coeur d'Alene with her husband — airline pilot Drew — dogs Wilbur and Odie and cat Auggie. In her spare time, Kate can be found walking her dogs around town, skiing in the winter and paddleboarding, riding her bike or jogging in the summer.

Generation:

I was born in 1983, which falls in either Generation X or the millennial generation, depending on which blog you read. Now they have come up with a "micro-generation" called Xennials which I think I fall into. Xennials had an "analog" childhood and a "digital" adulthood. We played "Oregon Trail" as kids but got cell phones and the internet pretty early in life. It is the best of both worlds!

Career and community involvement:

I am a certified elder law attorney at Coyle & Wytychak Elder Law. We handle legal issues that face seniors, disabled individuals and their families. Areas of law that we handle include estate planning, guardianship and conservatorship and long-term care planning. I also sit on the Lake City Center board and am a community member of a Kootenai Health advisory committee. I am a member of Kootenai CareNet, a group of professionals who work with seniors, and I volunteer with the Alzheimer's Association.

1. How did you get into your line of work?

It is a cliche, but I fell into it. I was in law school at Gonzaga (go Zags) looking for a summer internship. I knew that I did not want to be a stereotypical lawyer at a large firm, but I was not sure what exactly I did want. I interviewed for an internship with Michael Wytychak, who started an elder law practice in Coeur d'Alene in the ’80s, long before elder law was the boutique legal industry that it is now. I discovered that elder law was the field for me, and I have been practicing it ever since.

2. What is it about your job that keeps you going?

The clients. I am so lucky to get to spend my days listening to the stories of seniors in this community. Their stories are fascinating! Most areas of law focus on an issue, but I get to focus on a person. I get to answer questions and help families problem-solve. It is very rewarding.

3. What is one of the best pieces of advice you've ever received?

I vividly remember being an angsty teenager upset about something that was very important at the time, but what it was, I cannot recall. My wise mother told me that "everything happens for a reason." This advice has taught me to look for the lesson when things don't go my way, and to be optimistic about the future.

4. What is something people would be surprised to learn about you?

People would probably be surprised by my taste in music. I like all kinds of music from classical to country to oldies, but my true musical love is punk rock. In high school I fell in love with it and never really grew out of it.

5. If you could spend a day with anyone from history, who would it be and what would you do together?

While in college at the University of Montana (go Griz), I worked as a summer intern in Washington, D.C. Part of my job was to give visiting Montanans tours of the U.S. Capitol. One of the stops was the statue of Jeannette Rankin, the first woman to be elected to federal office in the U.S. Since then, I have been inspired by her gumption and bravery. It would be fun to drive around the Northwest with her to see how much it has changed since she was first elected in 1916.

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Devin Weeks can be reached by email: dweeks@cdapress.com Follow her on Twitter: @DevinCDAPress