Who is Kittiwake from Storm Thief and what is their importance?

Kittiwake is a mature woman and leader of the Kilitas community, which hides in the sea cliffs underneath the island city of Orokos. She is the founder and one of the original families of people, who were originally fishermen, who discovered evidence of life outside the island and were persecuted for it by the Patrician. As a result, Kittiwake led a quiet enclave of people deep underground to form a hidden colony away from the Secret Police. Kittiwake is described as a harsh and determined visionary, who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals.