Kata has been an advocate and community activist in the work to end gender-based violence for more than 35 years. She has worked as an advocate, therapist, fundraiser,clinical supervisor and administrator for grassroots, campus and national gender-based violence programs. She is also an organizational consultant, lecturer and anti-oppression trainer. Kata is a founding member of INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence and lived for nineteen years in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi where she directed the domestic violence intervention program of Parents And Children Together, then served as the Executive Director of the Hawaiʻi Region for the Joyful Heart Foundation. Kata worked previously in Seattle at the Center for Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence (now the Faith Trust Institute), Seattle Rape Relief, and University of Michigan Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center.