Kate Fenner, RN, PhD

Managing Director

Kate Fenner understands how hospitals work. First as a nurse, and later as an education leader and consultant, Kate has immersed herself in the issues that face hospital leaders. She has the rare ability to problem-solve and communicate at all levels of an organization – from staff members to Board members. As Managing Director of Compass Clinical Consulting, she uses this talent to help clients meet their clinical and cultural goals.

Kate has served in leading roles in numerous university, state, regional, and national organizations for over a quarter century. Her varied experience has given her a strong understanding of leadership dynamics, and kept her abreast of the hospital industry’s emerging problems, innovations, and solutions. Drawing from her years both in healthcare and academia, Kate applies proven leadership and development strategies to hospital settings, providing Compass clients with creative, effective solutions to their most pressing organizational concerns.

Kate obtained her doctorate in Ethics and Law in Healthcare, and also holds a Master’s degree in nursing. In addition to her numerous national speaking engagements and papers, Kate has authored a leading college text in law and ethics in healthcare, was senior author of Aspen’s Manual of Nursing Recruitment and Retention, and with Richard Coffey & Sheryl Stogis co-authored the Jossey-Bass text, Virtually Integrated Health Systems: A Guide to Assessing Organizational Readiness and Strategic Partners