My Bio

Brief bio: 

Kathy Schwalbe, Ph.D., PMP is a Professor Emeritus at Augsburg College in Minneapolis (retired in 2015). She earned her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota, her MBA at Northeastern University, and her B.S. in mathematics at the University of Notre Dame while on an Air Force ROTC scholarship. Kathy’s first job was as a project manager/officer in the U.S. Air Force. She also worked on projects at Boeing, Clark Oil, and several other organizations. Kathy was named Educator of the Year in 2011 by the Association of IT Professionals. She is retired from teaching but still writes/updates her three text books, self-publishes two of them, and provides some corporate training on request. She lives on a lake in Minnesota with her husband and enjoys lake activities (fishing, paddle boarding, wind surfing, kayaking, etc.), pickle ball, tennis, working out, quilting, and traveling (especially to warm places in the winter).

Work Experience:

  • Publisher, Schwalbe Publishing, 2009-present. Two main texts are An Introduction to Project Management (started self-publishing with the third edition) and Healthcare Project Management
  • Professor, Department of Business Administration, Augsburg College, 1991-2015. Helped develop and lead the Management Information Systems program. Taught international seminars in Bali and Germany
  • Author and publisher of An Introduction to Project Management, now in its 7th edition (2021)
  • Author of Information Technology Project Management, now in its 9th edition (2018)
  • Co-author of Healthcare Project Management, with Dan Furlong, now in its third edition (2021)
  • Contributing author of New Perspectives on Microsoft Project 2002, published in 2003
  • Author of IT Project+ CoursePrep ExamGuide, published by Course Technology in November 2001
  • Director of Communications, PMI-ISSIG, 2007-2008, Associate Director of Communications and ISSIG Review Editor, PMI-ISSIG, 2000-2002
  • VP Education, Minnesota Chapter of PMI, 2002.  See www.pmi-mn.org for details
  • Independent Consultant, 1990 – Present. Provide consulting, writing, and training services for several clients.  Wrote web-based courses on project management for Course Technology,  materials for the Gartner Institute, and course materials for Digital Content Factory. Have classes available on PMP Preparation, IT Project Management, IT Project Risk Management, and Presentation Skills.  Recent clients include Amgen, Mayo, Lawson Software, University of Minnesota, 3M, and Environmental Initiative
  • Student Chapter Board Liaison, PMI-Minnesota, 1998 – 2002. VP of Education for two years after that
  • Internal Consultant, Senior Technical Specialist, and Senior Engineer, McDonnell Aircraft Company, 1986-1990
  • Officer, Project Manager, and Systems Analyst, United States Air Force Electronic Systems Division, 1981-1986

Education: 

  • Ph.D., Higher Education, University of Minnesota, 1996
  • MBA, High Technology Management Program, Northeastern University, 1986
  • BS, Mathematics, University of Notre Dame, 1981.  Helped start women’s soccer there!  Go Irish!