Kate Fessler is the senior director for RISE Up with the NRF Foundation. She works with organizations across the country — including school districts, state departments of education, workforce organizations, community colleges and retailers — creating strategic partnerships to introduce the training and credentialing program to learners and workers preparing for careers in retail and related fields.
Prior to joining NRF in 2019, Fessler worked for UVA’s Darden School of Business Foundation, overseeing its Board of Trustees and advisory boards, and at the American Staffing Association, where she was the director of education, creating and implementing blended learning programs and overseeing ASA’s educational content, certification and sessions for ASA’s annual Staffing World event. Before her time at ASA, Fessler spent several years overseeing operations, coaching standards and player development for D.C. Soccer Club (formerly DC Stoddert), after playing and coaching the sport for many years.
Fessler lives with her family in South Carolina. She has a B.A. in international studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and an M.Ed. in education/general administrative leadership from Vanderbilt University.