Katie Pekel, EdD

Chief of Staff and Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives

As Chief of Staff and Associate Vice Chancellor of Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Pekel provides direct strategic support to the chancellor of the University of Minnesota Rochester while coordinating and facilitating the chancellor’s campus and University-wide priorities. Previously Dr. Pekel led the Minnesota Principals Academy, the University’s executive development program for school leaders that leads toward doctoral work. Dr. Pekel also taught courses for aspiring school principals and co-coordinated the Executive Ph.D. cohort for educational leaders within the department of Organizational Leadership and co-directed the U of M’s Urban Leadership Academy. 

Dr. Pekel has served at all levels of K-12 education first as a high school English teacher, as an elementary principal and most recently as a middle school principal for six years in Austin, MN.

Dr. Pekel is deeply committed to the University of Minnesota’s land‑grant mission and its charge to serve the state through education, research and community partnership. She is especially proud of the ways in which the University of Minnesota Rochester is contributing to the City of Rochester and to the state of Minnesota by preparing and graduating exceptional future members of the health care workforce.

She values the University’s strong and genuine collaborations with partners such as Mayo Clinic and Destination Medical Center (DMC), whose shared commitment to innovation and community impact helps make the University of Minnesota Rochester a truly inspiring place to learn and lead.