Search committees are stretched. HR teams are fatigued. Hiring timelines are extending. Yet expectations for inclusive, strategic recruitment have never been higher. In an era of political pressure, financial strain, and pervasive fatigue, higher education must move beyond reactive hiring to build systems that survive and absorb disruption. The question is no longer whether higher education will face workforce disruption; it is whether our systems are built to absorb and survive it.
We face burned-out committees, inconsistent candidate experiences, and retention risks before new hires even begin. All while trying to retain and develop our talent as they manage our front lines.
Dr. Kate McCaffrey will introduce a practical approach to workforce resilience and readiness, with actionable strategies centered on:
- Reducing burnout for managers, leaders, and their teams.
- Strengthening culture and communication to resolve challenges.
- Enhancing support for supervisors and managers.
- Building essential leadership skills across the institution.
Participants will gain clarity on how leadership behaviors and capacity alignment influence recruitment and retention, enabling campuses to attract and keep talent without compromising their people.
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Speaker:
Dr. Kate McCaffrey is passionate about helping people and organizations not just survive, but truly thrive, particularly during periods of change. As an executive coach and consultant, her mission is to empower leaders and managers to navigate these shifts with confi dence and clarity, transforming challenges into opportunities.
With almost 30 years in higher education, Kate has dedicated her professional life to understanding how individuals can grow and lead more effectively. Her experience across multiple campuses has equipped her to identify opportunities, craft practical solutions, and cultivate strong leadership that makes a tangible difference in both operational effi ciency and interpersonal connections.
As a coach and consultant, she helps clients unlock their full potential and accelerate their success. Her research and practice focus on change readiness, leadership, and management in higher education. Her superpower is creating experiences that maximize talent, align with the broader vision, and cultivate environments where individuals and organizations genuinely flourish. Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, a Master of Science in Student Affairs, and a Ph.D. in Human Resources Studies/Higher Education Leadership from Colorado State University. She is a certifi ed executive coach through the Center for Executive Coaching, a Master Facilitator in Change Intelligence (CQ)®, and a certifi ed practitioner of the Wiley DISC® suite of assessments.
Her mission is to empower leaders and teams to thrive in an ever-changing world, by making small changes (twists) that make a big difference.