Current Position and Past Experience
A former higher-education insider and current world-renowned marketing expert, Kate Colbert conducts complex market-research endeavors for colleges and universities and develops institutional brand stories that are meaningful to the prospective student and measurable on the balance sheet. She has overseen brand and enrollment marketing, public relations, and alumni relations at two Chicago-area graduate schools. Kate has additional expertise in corporate education, university crisis management, and faculty relations. She has consulted for Northeastern University, UC San Francisco, Carthage College, Tulane University School of Law, Babson College, The University of Tulsa College of Law, Bradley University, Medical College of Georgia (now Augusta University), Viterbo University, and the University of Wisconsin - Platteville.

Kate has spoken at conferences for the American Association of Medical Colleges, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and EducationDynamics. She is a six-time recipient of CASE District V’s annual awards for excellence in marketing and communications. She contributed to the book Net Proceeds: Increased Revenue from Enrollment and Advancement (Moore and Abrahamson) and authored the acclaimed 2018 bestselling book Think Like a Marketer: How a Shift in Mindset Can Change Everything for Your Business. Her latest book, Commencement: The Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education, co-authored with Dr. Joe Sallustio, has been heralded as the higher-education industry’s must-read book by executives at colleges and universities the world over. Kate has served as a faculty member at Illinois State University, the College of Lake County, Loyola University Chicago, and Lake Forest Graduate School of Management. She holds graduate degrees in English and business administration and has served on advisory and governing boards for colleges and social-services agencies.

Having consulted for industries including healthcare, financial services, professional services, and retail, Kate’s first — and forever — love is higher education. Co-authoring Commencement was the opportunity of a lifetime. Kate lives in Southeast Wisconsin, near the shores of Lake Michigan, with her husband Robert and a pack of beloved dogs. When she’s not reading, writing, or speaking to eager audiences, you’ll find her on a travel adventure ... usually via cruise ship.

Education, Honors and Achievements
• MBA, Organizational Behavior, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, 2007

• MA, English Composition and Comparative Literature, Illinois State University, 1998

• BA, English Studies, Carthage College, 1995

• AA, English, College of Lake County, 1993

Connect
You can connect with Kate on LinkedIn