Kate Schaefers, PHD

Kate Schaefers is a distinguished psychologist and leadership development coach with over 30 years of experience in human resources, adult education, and career development in both for-profit and nonprofit sectors. In her leadership development practice, Kate excels in coaching clients through career transitions, whether moving into new roles, joining new organizations, or pursuing new professional endeavors later in their careers or post-retirement. She provides leaders with the essential tools to achieve career goals and helps them craft a vision of success that aligns with their unique skills and abilities. Kate also specializes in coaching leaders and organizations to address shifting demographics and combat ageism in the workplace by developing strategies to retain, engage, and recruit workers aged 50 and older. Kate’s dynamic career also includes serving as Director at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Minnesota, which promotes the joy of learning for individuals aged 55 and older. Kate has shared her thought leadership on later in life career changes and healthy retirement planning with various communication outlets, including Star Tribune, University of Minnesota, and MNPR News. She recently testified for the Minnesota Legislative Task Force about the aging population in the state, offering insights on the employment challenges this community faces and sharing her recommendations on how to better support them. Kate boasts an impressive educational background, holding a PhD in Counseling Psychology from Iowa State University, an MA from the University of Minnesota, and a BA from Loyola University Chicago.