Katherine Francel joined Wischermann Partners in 2011 at the property level working in several operational roles before joining the corporate team in 2014 to oversee internal administration and HR. She moved into the role of Corporate Director of Human Resources in 2020 and was promoted to Vice President of People & Culture in 2022. Katherine oversees all efforts related to people and culture throughout the portfolio. She works closely with property Human Resource leaders and General Managers to ensure associates are appreciated, empowered, and developed to reach their full potential while simultaneously promoting consistency and compliance.

An innovative leader, Katherine is directly responsible for developing and implementing hiring strategies; compensation and benefit programs; training and development initiatives; engagement and retention plans; organizational systems and processes; and payroll administration. In addition to these tasks, she serves as a strategic business partner to Operations, Sales, and Finance to promote operational excellence and ongoing success. Due to her experiences in various states and international locations, Katherine can quickly adapt to nuanced labor laws and regulations.

Katherine holds a Juris Doctorate from Mitchell Hamline School of Law with additional certificates in International Business Negotiation and Advocacy and Problem Solving. She is a member of the Minnesota State Bar Association and is a Society of Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP). A few of her favorite past adventures include trips to Italy, Cuba, and Thailand.