At the age of five, Kathy was an aspiring speaker. She started speaking to anyone who would listen (mostly dolls and stuffed animals) from behind a piano bench “podium” and to the neighborhood kids atop the basement landing. The years of practicing paid off! Today, Kathy is one of the most sought after speakers in the Midwest because of her unparalleled ability to connect with people, engage audiences, and transform organizations.

Always of an entrepreneurial spirit, Kathy, determined to put herself through college, started her first successful business at the age of nineteen. After college, she gave up her business and accepted a position to work in global human resources as a management development specialist for a Fortune 500 technology company. Although Kathy loved her job, she felt the pull to be an entrepreneur again. Kathy realized there was a need, so she began contemplating and considering different names for her soon-to-be speaking and training business. She was adamant that she didn’t want to include her own name in the title of her new venture – because this business was not going to be about her – it’s about the PEOPLE who truly make things WORK (that’s YOU). PeopleWorks was born in 1998.

Since starting PeopleWorks, Kathy has had the opportunity to work with thousands of amazing people throughout the United States. She enjoys getting to know her clients (she is fortunate to count many of them as friends) and each of their unique needs and challenges. Kathy ensures that each and every speaking engagement and training session is full of cutting-edge, proven, actionable strategies to help her clients. Her clients see results—reporting an increase in employee performance, service, retention, and customer satisfaction. Her training programs and keynotes are not only full of great information, but always presented in a fun, interactive, and engaging way.

Kathy has the proven ability to win over even the “tough” audiences. Recently a human resource manager was stunned when her difficult crowd loved (and couldn’t stop talking about) their recent training. One of the participants told her, “You know I typically dread training, but this training was different. This is hands down the best training I’ve ever attended—and I’ve attended a lot of training.” That’s a pretty typical response for Kathy’s training. When she speaks at conferences, she is often invited back because her keynotes and break-outs are so popular with attendees. Kathy has been speaking at one state healthcare conference for six years in a row. (See the clients page for more from Kathy’s raving fans.) Kathy’s calendar is typically booked with over 125 engagements a year.

Kathy enjoys being involved in several professional organizations, including the National Speakers Association and the American Society for Training and Development. She is an avid Iowa State Cyclone fan, having earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies there (Go Cyclones!) and holds a Master’s degree in Adult Learning, Performance, and Development from Drake University. In 2001, Kathy earned her certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).

In addition to being a successful business owner, Kathy is a wife to her very best friend and a mom to four incredible children – ages 3 to 11. Kathy and her husband are proud to be the fifth generation to live and work on the Peterson family farm outside of Storm Lake, Iowa.