Our Faculty

Our Faculty

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, we continue to pioneer innovative solutions for the educational and career assessment marketplace.

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

Phil Harrington
President

Phil Harrington established Kuder, Inc. in 1997 to provide integrated assessment, career guidance, and education planning tools to students and adults. Assembling a faculty of leading experts in career development theory, Mr. Harrington directed extensive research among 100,000 key stakeholders throughout the United States to develop the first research-based, comprehensive career development system of its kind, the Kuder^® Career Planning System (KCPS). Under Mr. Harrington's leadership, Kuder has become one of the most respected and innovative companies in the industry, serving as a leading voice and resource for issues surrounding education and career planning.

Prior to founding Kuder, Mr. Harrington enjoyed a long and successful career with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and spent seven years at the helm of Midwest Financial Services, Ltd., a company he founded and grew from a start-up operation to a $10 million business.

A sought-after speaker at industry events, Mr. Harrington has conducted lectures, workshops, and seminars for the American Counseling Association; the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium; the National Career Development Association; and the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, among many others. In 2008, he led the 100 Year Celebration of Career Guidance & Education to promote broad-based awareness for the prominent role of career and technical education in creating America's workforce. In that same year, Mr. Harrington received the Association for Career and Technical Education's prestigious Friend of Guidance Award for his instrumental role in the growth and development of guidance and career development.

To emphasize the importance of ongoing career planning and encourage continuing career exploration, Mr. Harrington established The Harrington Foundation in 2005. The foundation's mission is to make education planning and self-assessment possible by increasing awareness of career options and making available career development resources to underserved populations.

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

Dr. JoAnn Harris-Bowlsbey serves as executive vice president of development for Kuder. Since joining the company in 2005, she has worked extensively with state departments of education and labor in the conceptualization and implementation of education and career planning web sites that serve as a virtual center for students and adults.

In her long and distinguished career in the field of career development and education, she has held the positions of high school counselor; director of guidance; university professor; career counselor; developer of the ACT^® product DISCOVER^® and executive director of the ACT Educational Technology Center; and consultant to the National Institute of Corrections. Dr. Harris-Bowlsbey has also served as a career development consultant for Nippon Manpower Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan.

Dr. Harris-Bowlsbey has authored numerous journal articles, books, and career planning curricula, including Take Hold of Your Future, now in its sixth edition. She co-authored Career Interventions in the 21st Century, a textbook for the training of counselors, and led the redevelopment and expansion of Facilitating Career Development, a curriculum for training Career Development Facilitators.

An active member of the professional community, Dr. Harris-Bowlsbey has served on the board of trustees of the American Counseling Association Governing Council and the editorial board of Career Development Quarterly. She served as chair of the American Counseling Association Inter-Professional and International Committee. A past president of the National Career Development Association, she is also a recipient of its Eminent Career Award. Dr. Harris-Bowlsbey is a member of the National Career Development Association and the International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance.

As a tribute to her landmark achievements, the board of the Career Development Leadership Alliance created the annual JoAnn Harris-Bowlsbey Award for Excellence in the Field of Technology in Career Development in 2004.

Dr. Harris-Bowlsbey is a former adjunct professor of counselor education at Loyola College in Maryland. She holds a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College, a master's degree from University of Wisconsin, and a doctorate in counselor education from Northern Illinois University.

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Spencer Niles, Ed.D., LPC, NCC
Vice President of International Development

As vice president of international development for Kuder, Dr. Spencer Niles acts as liaison to the international market and facilitates overseas business operations and partnerships. Dr. Niles has extensive experience in career development and education, and speaks on the behalf of Kuder at a variety of international conferences and events.

Dr. Niles serves as professor and department head of Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology, and Rehabilitation Services for The Pennsylvania State University. He is the co-director of the University's Center for the Study of Career Development and Public Policy. Previously, he served as assistant dean and taught doctoral and master's level courses in career counseling and development at the University of Virginia, Curry School of Education.

Dr. Niles has also acted as a consultant and visiting professor for universities throughout the country and the world, and has delivered over 85 presentations at regional, national, and international conferences.

As an author or co-author of nearly 100 publications, Dr. Niles' most notable works include Career Flow: Constructing Careers in the 21st Century (Merrill Prentice Hall); Introduction to Counseling: Joining the Profession (Lahaska Press); Career Planning (AGS Publishing); Career Development Assessment and Counseling (American Counseling Association); and Introduction to Career Development Interventions for the 21st Century (Merrill Prentice Hall). He is also co-author of the National Career Development Association's The Career Counseling Casebook: A Resource for Students, Practitioners, and Counselor Educators and the sole author of the National Career Development Association's Adult Career Development: Concepts, Models, and Practices.

Dr. Niles has served numerous roles in distinguished organizations and boards, including editor for the Journal of Counseling & Development (2008-2011); president of the National Career Development Association (2003-2004); editor for the Board of Examiners of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (2008-present); and board member and United States national correspondent for the International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (2004-2007 and 1996-2002, respectively).

Throughout his career, Dr. Niles' work in the field of career development and counseling has been recognized through several honors and awards, including the National Career Development Association Eminent Career Award (2007); the American Counseling Association Extended Research Award (2004); the American Counseling Association David Brooks Distinguished Mentor Award (2003); the University of British Columbia Noted Scholar Award (2001); and numerous others.

Dr. Niles holds a Doctor of Education degree in counselor education from The Pennsylvania State University; a Master of Education degree in counselor education from Lehigh University; a Master of Divinity Studies degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School; and a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Bloomsburg University. Dr. Niles completed postdoctoral studies in management development at Harvard University.

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

As vice president of research for Kuder, Dr. Catalina D'Achiardi-Ressler oversees many of the company's product development initiatives. She also directs domestic and international business procurement and plays a key role in the company’s research efforts for which she conducts, interprets, and presents the results of statistical, methodological, and validity research. Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler served as a research consultant for Kuder for three years prior to assuming her current role in 2007.

A distinguished scholar specializing in the field of vocational psychology, Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler has conducted extensive research and has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Drake University, Southern Illinois University, and Iowa State University.

Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler is an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Career Development and serves on the editorial boards of the Career Development Quarterly and the Journal of Counseling & Development. She has published numerous studies and has presented papers at many regional, national, and international conferences and events.

Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler is an active member of a number of professional associations, including the American Psychological Association's Division 17: Society of Counseling Psychology; the National Latina/o Psychological Association; the Society for Vocational Psychology; and the National Career Development Association.

In 2005, Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler received the Donald E. Super Research Fellowship from the American Psychological Association for her outstanding research in the area of vocational psychology. Dr. D'Achiardi-Ressler holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, and a master's degree and doctorate in counseling psychology. A native of Bogotá, Colombia, she is fluent in Spanish and English.

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

As director of research for Kuder, Inc. since 1997, Dr. Donald G. Zytowski has facilitated internal and third-party research, including development of new assessments and content for the vast database of career biographies in Kuder^® Career Search.

Dr. Zytowski is a well-established counseling psychologist with numerous publications in the area of vocational psychology, addressing the issue of measurement in career assessment. Continuing from 1990 to this day, Dr. Zytowski is also self-employed as a consultant for counseling and assessment, and has been consulted for projects developed by the U.S. Department of Defense; CTB/McGraw Hill; ACT; Veteran's Administration Hospitals in Iowa; the Bureau of Indian and Northern Affairs; and Science Research Associates. Prior to Kuder, Dr. Zytowski was a counseling psychologist for Iowa State University (1965-1990).

He has experience in education as a psychology instructor at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1979), Iowa State University (1965-1990), and University of Alberta (1965). He has acted as director for Student Counseling Services at Washington University (1960-1965) and assistant director of Student Counseling Services at Iowa State University (1969-1974).

Dr. Zytowski earned his doctorate and master's degrees in education at Washington University, and his bachelor's degree in education from Harris Teachers College.

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