Higher Education

Empowering higher education leaders to innovate, grow, and thrive

We work with leaders who know their institutions need to change but often lack the time and resources to figure out how to go from what is to what’s next. That’s where we come in. We work with you to help explore new opportunities of growth combining our expertise in higher education and entrepreneurship. We help you move from the opacity of ‘we need to do something’ to the clarity of ‘we know what we are going to do’ and most importantly, ‘we have a plan to move forward.’

We can work in the imaginative space of what’s next and we also understand the pragmatic realities of implementation. We can work with internal teams to map what’s possible with a realistic understanding of the demands of running a university. We can also implement projects in collaboration to keep you focused on the work you need to do while we build what’s next.

From thought leadership advising, new market consulting, and program design we dive into your unique challenges to understand and uncover new avenues of growth that can be implemented and scaled effectively. Most importantly, our work will help to ensure that your institution can continue to offer its transformative education to students in the future.

Our Services

  • College leadership requires balancing tradition with transformation. As a president, you're tasked with honoring your institution's legacy while steering it toward a sustainable future—often with limited resources and competing priorities. You recognize the need for strategic evolution, but the path forward isn't always clear. Where should you focus? How do you honor your core values while adapting to changing educational landscapes? We can help you answer these questions and create a strategy to move into the future.

    Our Approach: 

    • Focused, high-impact consultation sprints designed specifically for higher education leadership

    • Engage with your institution's key visionaries and thought leaders

    • Facilitate meaningful conversations about your college's future

    • Distill actionable insights from those who best understand your unique culture and challenges

    • Explore market opportunities, higher education trends and other potential areas where you may be able to expand

    • Transform abstract possibilities into concrete strategic directions

    We help you address the essential question: "How do we evolve while remaining true to our institutional identity?"

  • Higher education is evolving, and institutions must adapt to meet emerging demands. We help you identify and evaluate new market opportunities, designing programs that are both financially sustainable and mission-aligned. Whether you’re exploring online programs, workforce development initiatives, or new student populations, we provide data-driven insights and strategic recommendations to ensure success.

    Our approach

    • Market research and opportunity analysis

    • Business model development and financial planning

    • Strategic enrollment and positioning guidance

    • Implementation roadmaps for program success

  • Great programs start with great design. We work with colleges and universities to develop new academic and co-curricular offerings that align with institutional strengths, meet learner needs, and respond to market demands. Whether launching a new major, certificate, or lifelong learning initiative, we help you build from concept to launch with clarity and creativity.

    Our approach

    • Curriculum strategy and program architecture

    • Stakeholder engagement and iterative design

    • Alignment with accreditation and institutional priorities

    • Pilot planning, assessment tools, and scalability pathways

  • Transformative ideas emerge when leaders have the space to think boldly. Our interactive workshops help institutions generate new program ideas, refine existing initiatives, and tackle pressing challenges with creativity and strategy. We facilitate structured yet dynamic sessions tailored to your institution’s goals, ensuring actionable outcomes.

    Our Approach

    • Customized workshops on program innovation and institutional growth

    • Design thinking and strategic planning facilitation

    • Cross-functional collaboration for breakthrough solutions

    • Actionable frameworks to move from ideation to execution

  • Leading change in higher education requires vision, resilience, and adaptability. We offer one-on-one and group coaching for institutional leaders navigating complex challenges, helping them strengthen their leadership approach, align decisions with institutional goals, and drive meaningful impact.

    Our approach:

    • Executive coaching for higher ed leaders and teams

    • Support in managing change and overcoming institutional barriers

    • Personalized strategies for leadership development and decision-making

    • Ongoing guidance for implementing strategic initiatives

“One of the smartest moves I ever made was bringing in Kate Reiling to build the entrepreneurship program at Macalester. She is close to unique in her ability to understand the culture and speak the language of both innovators and educators. She knows that transformational change in higher education is difficult, but has proven that with the right ideas and the right plan, it is possible.”

— Brian Rosenberg, President Emeritus, Macalester College; Visiting Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education

“I had the pleasure of working with Kate on a significant learning model project that was important to both of us. While the inherent challenges of the project–exacerbated by already having students in the program–almost overwhelmed my circuits, Kate saw an opportunity to do something really cool. And, thanks to her, we did. Kate demonstrated a rare gift for turning interesting and well-intentioned, but unworkable, ideas into something coherent, even elegant, while still retaining the original intent. Oh, and she did all this with intelligence and a sly sense of humor.”

— Keith Lynip, Chief Product Officer, African Leadership University

"Kate Reiling’s recent work with our graduate program was transformative. With her sharp perspective on the changing education landscape, she illuminated student priorities and shaped our vision for the future. Her strategic guidance has positioned us to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving field."

— Ryan Armbruster, Senior Fellow and Director of Health Administration Executive Studies, University of Minnesota School of Public Health

"Working with Kate jumpstarted a large project that had many details to figure out. Her structure and questions were invaluable in helping me figure out where to start, how to activate my very small team, and work methodically to create quality work within a short timeframe.”

— Connie Rutledge, Executive Director, FINNovation Institute

Our Approach

  • Identify Strengths and Opportunities

    Assess institutional values, strengths, and core competencies to uncover unique and sustainable market advantages.

  • Generate Breakthrough Ideas

    Conduct market research, analyze educational trends, and transform stakeholder insights into high-potential educational opportunities.

  • Turn Vision into Action

    Create actionable roadmaps that define your innovation strategy and implementation path. This isn’t the plan that sits on the shelf, it’s the plan that moves you forward.

  • Empower Leaders for Impact

    Develop resilient, innovation-ready leaders through coaching and team development that nurtures their capacity to lead.