About Katie Leadership Academy
About the Program
The Katie Leadership Academy (KLA) is a nine-month, cohort-based leadership experience that develops institution-wide leaders equipped to advance St. Catherine University's mission and strategic priorities.
Through an immersive experience that combines dialogue, reflection, mentorship, and applied learning, participants engage with senior leaders, external experts, and colleagues from across the University to broaden their institutional perspective, strengthen cross-functional relationships, and develop the confidence, knowledge, and skills to lead meaningful change.
Grounded in the developmental framework of Leading Self, Leading Others, Leading the Institution, and Leading Forward, KLA prepares participants to navigate the opportunities and complexities of higher education with purpose, courage, and strategic vision.
What Makes KLA Different?
Unlike traditional leadership programs that focus primarily on supervisory or functional leadership, KLA takes an institution-wide and human-centered approach to leadership development. Participants gain a holistic understanding of how mission, academics, student success, enrollment, finance, governance, operations, and external partnerships work together to shape institutional success.
By the end of the program, participants leave with a broader systems perspective, stronger cross-functional relationships, and the strategic mindset needed to lead beyond their individual roles and contribute to the future of St. Catherine University.
The KLA Leadership Journey
Leading Self → Leading Others → Leading the Institution → Leading Forward
The KLA curriculum combines leadership development with a deep understanding of the people, systems, and strategic priorities that shape higher education. Through interactive sessions with university leaders, external experts, and peers, participants explore topics including:
- Welcome, Presence & Mission-Centered Leadership
- Leadership Models, Vision, Innovation & Strategic Project Planning
- Equity, Belonging & Institutional Culture
- Conflict, Coaching & Collaborative Leadership
- External Engagement, Enrollment & Institutional Reputation
- Academic Leadership, Engaged Learning & Digital Transformation
- Shared Governance, Public Policy & Strategic Decision-Making
- Change, Crisis & Institutional Leadership
- Stewardship of People, Resources & Risk
- Leading Forward: Capstone Presentations & Leadership Commitment
Leadership effectiveness begins with personal well-being. Integrated throughout the program are reflective and evidence-informed practices that cultivate presence, resilience, self-awareness, focus, and sustainable leadership.
Participants experience a variety of approaches—including mindfulness, Tai Chi, EFT tapping, yoga, meditation, reflective practice, movement, and other evidence-informed techniques—to help them lead with clarity, balance, and intention.
A hallmark of the Katie Leadership Academy is the collaborative capstone experience, where participants apply their learning to strategic institutional opportunities identified by University leadership.
Working in small, cross-functional teams, participants select from a curated portfolio of institutionally identified priorities. Each project is intentionally designed with a comparable scope and workload to provide an equitable, meaningful, and impactful leadership experience.
Throughout the capstone process, participants strengthen their ability to:
- Think institutionally beyond their individual roles or departments
- Collaborate across functions and perspectives
- Navigate complex challenges and competing priorities
- Develop thoughtful, actionable recommendations
- Translate leadership learning into institutional impact
The Academy culminates in capstone presentations to senior leadership and the broader University community, showcasing innovative solutions that contribute tangible value to St. Catherine University and help advance its mission and strategic priorities.
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