Kathryn Bader blends tech program leadership with community service

Kathryn Bader, a senior project manager at BJC HealthCare in St. Louis, has spent about a decade leading complex technology programs across healthcare, telecom, finance and tech. She also brings nearly 17 years of volunteer work and a strong focus on mentorship, especially for women in technical fields.

Why it matters: - Kathryn Bader’s career shows how technical program leadership can shape major digital work while also strengthening local communities. - Her mix of healthcare IT, cross-industry experience and volunteer leadership puts a premium on both delivery and people management. - Her profile also highlights the role of mentorship in helping women build careers in technology and project management.

What happened: - Kathryn Bader works as a Senior Project Manager at BJC HealthCare in St. Louis, Missouri. - She has about 10 years of experience in technical program management. - Her background includes work in healthcare, telecommunications, finance and technology. - She has also held leadership roles at Mastercard, Spectrum and iBridge Solutions. - Her Influential Women profile is available here.

The details: - Bader manages large-scale IT projects, global resources, stakeholder alignment and delivery against scope, budget and timelines. - Her core skills include risk management, mitigation, Agile project management, business requirements, process improvement and executive communication. - She has supported projects from early planning and development through implementation and post-production support. - At Spectrum, Bader contributed to the development of the Spectrum Mobile platform. - That work included infrastructure, functionality, billing processes and the platform’s overall framework. - She earned a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from the University of Missouri-Columbia. - She completed a master’s degree in Project Management from Georgetown University in 2020. - Her credentials include Certified SAFe Scrum Master and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. - She has also completed training in executive leadership, influencing others, leadership communication and managing technical debt. - Her ongoing coursework includes advanced Excel formulas, lookup functions, PivotTables, dashboards, presentation skills and executive presence.

Between the lines: - Bader credits her growth to meaningful connections, passionate colleagues and mentors who encouraged her. - She says it is okay to make mistakes as long as she learns from them and does not repeat them. - That approach points to a leadership style built on accountability and steady improvement. - Her volunteer work suggests her influence extends beyond workplace results into civic and community life. - She has volunteered with Celebrate Saint Louis for nearly 17 years and serves on its Operations Board as Chair of Concessions. - She also volunteers with Fair Saint Louis and Sign of the Arrow. - Bader is involved with Women in Cable Telecommunications and the Project Management Institute. - She sees those groups as a way to open doors for women building careers in technical fields.

What's next: - Bader is expected to continue leading complex technology programs at BJC HealthCare. - She is also likely to keep expanding her volunteer, mentoring and professional-development work. - Her public profile signals an ongoing focus on leadership, service and helping other women advance in technical careers.