About Me

Her story from walking on to ASU’s volleyball team to clinching a historic NCAA Championship qualification, to scaling her own brand and launching national programs... reflects her belief that every season of life holds purpose, and that with grit, heart, and hustle, you can build whatever comes next!

Kate Fitzgerald is a builder, creator, and former Division I beach volleyball player who loves turning scrappy ideas into real, impactful ventures.

She currently pours most of her energy into SPORTx, the Student-Athlete Venture Studio she co-leads at Arizona State University. SPORTx is built to help student-athletes explore entrepreneurship, launch brands, and grow confidence beyond their sport. Kate works closely with partners like GoDaddy, leads program design and operations, and supports student-athletes as they bring their visions to life.

While competing as a student-athlete, Kate founded VBAmerica, a volleyball lifestyle brand launched through NIL licensing. What started as a passion project quickly turned into a full-scale business: licensing deals with major universities, retail placement with Rally House, direct-to-consumer growth, and a tight-knit community. VBAmerica remains active, but Kate has since stepped back from daily operations to focus on larger-scale innovation and venture building.

Kate’s leadership as an athlete also extended to her role as President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, where she represented over 650 athletes, led an executive board across seven committees, hosted large-scale events, and spearheaded campus-wide efforts around mental health, education, and student-athlete advocacy.

Her work has been recognized by platforms including the Phoenix Business Journal’s INNO 25 Under 25, NCAA, Arizona State University, Desert Financial’s Changemaker Award, and more. More than awards, Kate is proud of creating space for athletes to see themselves as leaders, founders, and change-makers. 

Today, she’s focused on building purpose-driven ventures and storytelling platforms that empower the next generation. If you’re building something bold, meaningful, or mission-led — Kate’s your person.