
Kathryn Sisler Waple, Founder and Director of Seagate School of Holsitic Herbalism, Gray Cat Botanicals and the Southeast North Carolina Herbal Conference began her official journey with plants as an apprentice to Corinna Wood, founder and former director of Red Moon Herbs in 2007. After her apprenticeship, she moved back to Wilmington and founded Castle Street Community Gardens, which she managed from 2008-2011.
From 2014 to 2021 she was the Director of Nature Connect NC, an experiential outdoor homeschool enrichment program. In 2023, she founded the Southeast North Carolina Herbal Conference, which had a wildly successful 1st Annual event in November of 2024. She has been working with plants and teaching hands-on workshops in the community continuously since 2008. She hopes to inspire in students a lifelong desire to develop a deeper relationship with plants, and the confidence to work with medicinal herbs safely and effectively.