Our Team

Our Team

Our long-time commitment to ongoing research and development is at the core of Kuder’s experience, innovation, and what sets us apart in the industry. Backed by a world-renowned faculty and staff, we continue to pioneer innovative solutions for the educational and career assessment marketplace.

• Phil Harrington — President
• Catalina D’Achiardi-Ressler, Ph.D. — Vice President of Research
• Donald G. Zytowski, Ed.D. — Director of Research
• JoAnn Harris-Bowlsbey, Ed.D. — Executive Vice President of Development

Phil Harrington — President

As founder and president of Kuder, Inc., Harrington is driven to provide an improved quality of assessment, career guidance, and educational planning for students and adults.

He brings over 25 years of experience to the company, having taken his first entrepreneurial step with Iowa DECA, followed by a successful career in the financial services industry. Witnessing the increased necessity for students to have access to a career planning system database – both from his work in the community and as a father of four – Harrington established Kuder in 1997.

Harrington has conducted countless professional presentations and spoken publicly on the importance of career learning system evaluation. Through his efforts, the company has experienced significant growth and continues to act as a voice and reliable resource within the industry for issues regarding education and career planning.

With the marketplace turning to data-driven career planning to take the industry to the next level, Kuder has become a key facilitator for individuals, educators, businesses, and government agencies nationwide. For their purposes and needs, Harrington directs the research, development, and evaluation of new assessments and career development products and services.

Harrington specializes in consulting with educational institutions and government agencies so that innovative, focused solutions can be created to meet each specific business requirement. He works to develop and execute marketing strategies and to establish cooperative business relationships that will further the mission of providing satisfying career resources and opportunities for students and adults.

Catalina D'Achiardi-Ressler, Ph.D. — Vice President of Research

Dr. Catalina D'Achiardi-Ressler is a native of Bogotá, Colombia. She came to the United States in 1995 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. After graduating from Loras, Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler went on to earn her master’s degree in counseling psychology at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, where she also completed her doctorate in the same area. Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler’s 12-month pre-doctoral internship brought her back to Iowa in 2004. She joined the Student Counseling Service as a Staff Psychologist and Coordinator of Research & Career Exploration Services in August of 2005 after the completion of her doctorate.

Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler served as a research consultant for Kuder, Inc. since September of 2004 and recently joined the company full time as Vice-President of Research in 2007.

In addition, Dr. D’Achiardi-Ressler has had extensive research and practice experience in the field of vocational psychology, she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology at Drake University, Southern Illinois University and Iowa State University. She is an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Career Development and has published and presented in several professional conferences over the last eight years. Dr. D’Achiardi-Ressler was the recipient of the 2005 Donald E. Super Research Fellowship from the Division 17 of the American Psychological Association for outstanding research in the area of vocational psychology.

Education

• Ph.D. Southern Illinois University—Carbondale (2005)
• M.A. Southern Illinois University—Carbondale (2002)
• B.A. Loras College (1999)

Professional Affiliations

• American Psychological Association, Divisions 17 & 45
• Society for Vocational Psychology
• National Latino/a Psychological Association
• Psi-Chi

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Donald G. Zytowski, Ed.D. — Director of Research

Donald G. Zytowski, Ed.D., holds 40 years' experience in counseling and teaching at Washington University in Saint Louis, Missouri, and Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. In 1971, Dr. Zytowski joined Dr. Frederic Kuder as an associate, serving eventually as developer of Kuder’s several interest inventories, adding scales to his assessments, and writing interpretive aids. In addition, Dr. Zytowski has published extensively in the field of vocational psychology including numerous chapters and articles on vocational theory, interests and work values, and the history of vocational guidance. Dr. Zytowski is also a licensed psychologist in the state of Iowa and a diplomat in counseling psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology since 1975.

In 1990, Dr. Zytowski retired from Iowa State University, but he continues his work in the career counseling field. He received the Extended Research Award from the American Counseling Association in 1991 and the National Career Development Association’s Eminent Career Award in 1993. Dr. Zytowski was also named “Distinguished Senior Contributor to Counseling Psychology” in 1995. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and a recipient of their pinnacle Leona Tyler Award for Scholarly Contribution to the field of Counseling Psychology.

In addition to his consulting role with Kuder, Inc., Dr. Zytowski has also served, in the past, as a consultant to multiple organizations including: ACT/DISCOVER, CTB/McGraw Hill, the U.S. Department of Defense, Riverside Publishing Co., the Bureau of Indian and Northern Affairs, Dominion of Canada, Science Research Associates, and the Veterans Administration Hospitals in Knoxville & Iowa City.

Education

• Ed.D. Washington University (1965)
• M.S. Washington University (1957)
• A.B.Ed. Harris Teachers College (1952)

Professional Memberships

• American Psychological Association, Divisions 17 & 5
• Society for Vocational Psychology
• American Counseling Association
• Association for Assessment in Counseling
• National Career Development Association
• Sigma Xi

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JoAnn Harris-Bowlsbey — Ed.D., Executive Vice President of Development

JoAnn Harris-Bowlsbey, Ed.D., has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in the field of career development, including positions as high school counselor, director of guidance, university professor, career counselor in a university counseling center, developer of DISCOVER® (a computer-based career planning system), and Executive Director of ACT’s Educational Technology Center. She is currently Executive Vice-President of Development for Kuder, Inc., and in that role works extensively with state departments of education and labor in the conceptualization and implementation of career planning websites that serve as a virtual center for both students and adults across the life span as they engage in educational and career planning.

Dr. Harris-Bowlsbey is the author of many journal articles and several books. Most recently, she developed national and international versions of the Career Development Facilitator curriculum. She is a past-president of the National Career Development Association and a recipient of its Eminent Career Award.

Education

• Ed.D. Northern Illinois University (1972)
• M.A. University of Wisconsin (1955)
• B.S. Wheaton College (1953)

Professional Memberships

• National Career Development Association
• American Counseling Association Governing Council (Board of Trustees & Representative) Editorial Board for Career Development Quarterly (1990-2002)
• National Career Development Association, president (1996-97)
• American Counseling Association (ACA), member and chair of Inter-Professional and International Committee (1993-94)
• International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG)

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