About Us
Our Story
After the murder of our beautiful daughter, mother, and sister to domestic violence we were paralyzed with grief. One of the most difficult things we had to avoid as a family was the black hole of despair. We talked everyday about the void that only Kathy could fill. Desperate to make sense out of this tragedy we wondered what Kathy would want us to do. We came to understand that Kathy didn’t want us to move on; she wanted us to move forward.
We realized we could make something positive out of this unfathomable tragedy. Grateful for the support our family received from the community, in particular for Madison, Kathy’s daughter, we focused on paying our blessings forward. We felt a deep sense of responsibility to make a difference in the lives of all the Kathys we will never know and the Madisons we may never meet.
Kathy’s Legacy Foundation was established in Kathy’s memory. We are committed to inspire dreams, change lives, and revive hope. Kathy will not be remembered for her murder, but rather for all the good she inspired.
Meet the Team
Alexandra Lutz
Co Executive Director
Alex initially came to Kathy’s Legacy in July 2019 to assist with an event and fell in love with the organization’s mission. She was honored to join the team full-time as the Program Manager shortly after.
Alex received her bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Studies from Fordham University and her MBA from Cal State San Marcos. Her background includes sports marketing, PR, event coordination, and consulting for various non-profit organizations. She enjoys traveling, reading and spending time outdoors with family, friends and rescue pup, Rylie.
Sawyer Smith
Program Coordinator
Sawyer joined Kathy’s Legacy in January 2023. She graduated from University of San Diego in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. While at USD she developed a passion for social justice and community service. Sawyer has volunteered as a tutor at a refugee asylum house in San Diego and as an arts and craft teacher for the Boys and Girls Club.
Prior to coming to Kathy’s Legacy, Sawyer worked as the Program Coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County. In her spare time, Sawyer enjoys being outdoors, painting, spending time at the beach, and taking her dog, Cash, on walks all around San Diego.