If you walk into the Norwood Meals on Wheels kitchen on a Thursday morning, you might not expect to find one of the world’s most accomplished adventurers scrubbing trays and managing spreadsheets. But that’s exactly where you’ll find Katie Sarah, trailblazing mountaineer, global sailor, businesswoman, and committed community volunteer.

Katie joined Meals on Wheels SA at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Having previously volunteered with the Leukaemia Foundation’s transport service, she wanted to stay involved in helping people when lockdowns brought that role to a halt. “There was such a high need,” Katie recalls. "Older volunteers had to step back, but people still needed connection and support more than ever. It was clear that Meals on Wheels was delivering far more than just food."

Since then, Katie has been a regular in the Norwood branch kitchen, gravitating toward roles where her strong attention to detail and accounting background can be put to good use. These days, she’s often found at the computer managing numbers and rosters - but always with sleeves rolled up, ready to jump into any task.

Despite not working directly with clients, Katie feels deeply connected to the impact Meals on Wheels has. "Even though I don’t go on delivery runs, I know who is fridge-only, who eats what, and who never answers the phone,” she laughs. "You really do start to know people, even through a spreadsheet."

Flexibility is key to her ongoing commitment. With extensive travel tied to her expedition work, she appreciates the Norwood team’s understanding of her unique schedule. “I’m here every Thursday that I’m in Adelaide. They’ve been incredibly accommodating. Volunteering infrastructure must be flexible to work.”

Her idea of community service goes far beyond obligation. “If you’re in a position to give back, it just feels like the right thing to do,” she says. "We live in such a privileged society. Community connection doesn't always come with privilege - it must be nurtured. Volunteering brings people together and helps reduce isolation, not just for recipients, but for volunteers too."

Katie’s grounded philosophy is especially remarkable when you consider her extraordinary list of accomplishments. In 2010, she became the first South Australian - and sixth Australian - woman to summit Mount Everest. By 2013, she had completed the Seven Summits (the highest mountain on each continent), and by 2018, the Seven Volcanic Summits. She remains the only woman in the world to have completed both feats.

In 2023–24, Katie added another incredible milestone by circumnavigating the globe as part of the Ocean Globe Race, crewing on the yacht Outlaw through the Southern Ocean and around the world’s great capes - navigating without GPS or high-tech aids. "I wasn’t even a sailor before that,” she admits. "But I was asked to join the crew because of my attitude, resilience, and ability to work as part of a team under pressure."

For someone who once described herself as “not fast, but able to go all day,” Katie’s mental strength is just as impressive as her physical stamina. A former triathlete and marathon runner, she took up climbing in her late 30s after a chance hiking trip in the Flinders Ranges. Within a few years, she was on high-altitude peaks in Bolivia and beyond.

When asked what drives her, Katie simply says: "Goal setting has always been a big part of my life - whether it's summiting Everest or committing to turn up each week in the kitchen. The scale is different, but the mindset is the same."

She believes volunteering offers a perfect mix of structure, purpose, and human connection - especially for those transitioning into retirement or seeking meaning beyond work. “Meals on Wheels is ideal for staying active and engaged. I’ve seen so many amazing older volunteers in the kitchen whose energy and commitment are inspiring. I hope to still be showing up like that in years to come."

Beyond adventuring and volunteering, Katie is also a business owner, mother of three teenage sons, and serves on the boards of several not-for-profits, including Holiday Explorers and Guide Dogs SA/NT. Her passion for inclusion and empowering others - particularly women - is as strong as her drive to push physical limits. "There’s something incredible about helping women build confidence through outdoor adventure. The transformation is powerful."

As for what’s next? The North Pole still beckons. Katie was thwarted multiple times by geopolitical issues and COVID-19, but the goal remains on her horizon. “It’s unfinished business,” she smiles.

Whether she’s trekking Antarctica or stirring soup in the Norwood kitchen, Katie’s commitment to purpose, people, and pushing boundaries remains constant. As she puts it, “The mountains, the oceans - even a Meals on Wheels kitchen - all demand teamwork, communication, and trust. You show up for each other, and you grow because of it.”