Get Your Free Consultation
Business Consulting Psychologists in Minneapolis
Full 1
An Experienced & Committed Team
Teamwork is our most prized value. We take pride in our collective reputation
for quality, responsiveness, and long-term relationships.
Full 1

Meet Our Team

Partners

Marie Anderson, Psy.D.

SKS Partner

David Donnay, Ph.D.

SKS Partner

Heather Mortensen, Ph.D.

SKS Partner

Nathan Whittier, Psy.D.

SKS Partner

Consultants

Jennifer Shepard, Psy.D., MBA

Talent Assessment Consultant

Megan Lowery, Ph.D.

Talent Assessment Consultant

Katie Pesch, Ph.D.

Talent Assessment Consultant

Kendra Van Rossum, Psy.D.

Talent Assessment Consultant

Mark Goetz, Ph.D.

Talent Assessment Consultant

Marina Mery, Ph.D.

Talent Assessment Consultant

Yi Du, Ph.D.

Talent Assessment Consultant

Client Services & Operations

Melissa Robinson, MBA

Business Operations Leader

Jeremiah McMillan, Ph.D.

Lead Data Scientist

Phillip Starns, MS

Data Analyst, People Analytics

Jessie Collins

Client Services Lead, Project Specialist

Mimmie Sjöberg

Client Services Coordinator, Operations Specialist

Lindsay Woodworth

Client Services Coordinator

Taylor March

Client Services Coordinator

Casey Hale

Administrative Assistant
Full 1

The Power of Data-Driven Decisions

“SKS helped us build a framework & metrics for our talent management system that led to improvements in acquisition, onboarding, bench strength & engagement across the board.”
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PRODUCTS & SERVICES ORGANIZATION
Full 1
Full 1

QUANTITATIVE AND MEASURABLE ROI

“SKS delivered a strong leadership development survey & training curriculum tailored to help our teams increase their resilience, enhance productivity, increase confidence & ultimately reach our aggressive sales goals.”
LEADING INVESTMENT FIRM
Full 1
Full 1

MEETING GROWTH GOALS YEAR OVER YEAR

“Our organization needed to assess leadership potential across the world & identify who was best equipped to take on new & increasing responsibility. SKS developed a robust yet straightforward model that has proven so on-target that it is now integrated into our corporate succession planning systems & tools.”
GLOBAL CONSUMER & COMMERCIAL MANUFACTURER
Full 1
previous arrow
next arrow
Full 1
Be confident in the selection and development of your future leaders with premium talent assessments.
Get Your Free Consultation
Full 1
MORE ON THE BLOG

Let's stay in touch!

Linkedin

Follow us on LinkedIn for all the latest insights!

Marie Anderson, Psy.D., Partner

Dr. Anderson has a passion for applying psychological principles and assessment data to enhance decision making and maximize performance. She is specifically focused in the areas of selection and development of key talent. Dr. Anderson’s approach is system oriented and solution driven. The results are high performing individuals and teams that drive results for the business. She has served as a trusted HR and Management partner for over a decade, helping individuals, teams and organizations turn insight into action. Dr. Anderson has insight and knowledge gained from working as an internal consultant at a global medical device company for many years, as well as from owning and managing her own business prior to joining SKS Consulting Group. She also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas and Hamline University.

Education
University of Saint Thomas – Doctor of Psychology, Counseling Psychology, 2007 – 2011
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota – Master of Arts, Marriage and Family Therapy, 2004 – 2006
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, 2002 – 2004
Purdue University – Psychology, Women’s Studies, 2001 – 2002

David Donnay, Ph.D., Partner

Dr. Donnay develops leaders and transforms organizations. He has nearly two decades of experience in applied psychology in business settings. He is known for his business acumen and strategic thinking as well as his knowledge of psychology. Widely considered an expert in assessment for selection and development, he also brings expertise in coaching and succession planning. His research and consulting career over the past 20 years has focused on the long-term prediction of leadership and career success. 

Earlier in his career, Dr. Donnay led research, product development, and professional services for a global publishing and consulting organization. Dr. Donnay advises organizations on a wide range of strategic issues such as selecting and developing leadership talent, identifying and preparing future leaders, and aligning and accelerating team performance. Dr. Donnay is also on the Board of Trustees of Washburn Center for Children in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Education
Iowa State University – Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, 1993 – 1998
St. John’s University – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, 1989 – 1993

Heather Mortensen, Ph.D., Partner

For more than fifteen years, Dr. Mortensen has improved the quality of organizational decision-making in the critical areas of selection and development. She has an exceptional talent for providing empirically driven yet practical solutions that select, develop, and engage leaders and talent at all levels. She is dedicated to making assessment data applicable for individuals to excel personally and professionally and for organizations to understand how people function on the job. She has a keen ability to identify and then maximize and grow the capabilities and competencies of human resources to the fullest. Dr. Mortensen is passionate about maximizing organizational effectiveness by leveraging data, developing individuals, and building teams. Dr. Mortensen performed as an internal organizational psychologist for a Fortune 100 company where she provided practical and results-focused solutions. Just prior to joining SKS she successfully led a learning and development function for one of the nation’s largest healthcare systems.

Education
University of Minnesota – Ph.D., Counseling Psychology (Occupational Health focus), 2001 – 2007
University of Minnesota – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, 1996 – 2000

Nate Whittier Psy.D. Partner

Since joining SKS in 2006, Dr. Whittier has partnered with a variety of organizations to enhance the quality of decision-making in the critical areas of selection and development of key talent. He has considerable experience working across diverse industries such as manufacturing, retail, finance, health care, and information technology. Clients appreciate Dr. Whittier’s high level of responsiveness and he has effectively maintained strong partner relationships over the past decade. He has conducted thousands of leadership assessments at all levels within organizations. Dr. Whittier is proficient at making assessment data highly relevant and useful beyond the hiring decision. Solution-focused coaching and onboarding and transition planning are additional areas of expertise. Dr. Whittier is a Board Certified Organizational and Business Consulting Psychologist, a credential recognizing advanced competence within the specialty.

Education
Wright State University – Doctor of Psychology, 2001 – 2006
Wright State University – Master of Business Administration, 2002 – 2005
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire – Bachelor of Science, Psychology, 1996 – 2000

Jennifer Shepard, Psy.D., MBA, Talent Assessment Consultant

Dr. Jennifer Shepard is a Senior Talent Assessment Consultant with SKS Consulting Group. She graduated with a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and a Master of Business Administration from Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania in 2018. Throughout her training, Dr. Shepard focused heavily on the integration of psychology and business, specifically on the application of psychological principles to support leadership development and cultivate positive organizational cultures. She brings several years of experience working with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, where she consulted directly with healthcare leaders to drive employee engagement. In all of her work, Dr. Shepard strives to fully understand the “whole person”, using data driven approaches to support leaders on the individual, team, and organizational level. She is passionate about partnering with leaders to facilitate better understanding of themselves and others through the use of assessment data, and to use these insights to make decisions, set goals, and take action to reach desired outcomes.

Education:

Widener University – Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and Master of Business Administration, 2018

Megan Lowery, Talent Assessment Consultant

Dr. Lowery brings several years of experience helping build organizational cultures that develop and support leadership at all levels. She believes people are an organization’s most valuable resource, and she helps clients leverage data-driven insights to enable talent to thrive both personally and professionally. With technical expertise in psychometric assessment and experience working across industries, she brings a passion for helping people be their best selves at work and beyond. Dr. Lowery holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Georgia and has published research in top academic journals, authored thought leadership whitepapers, and spoken at international conferences to share the latest advancements in talent selection and development, job performance and satisfaction, and employee well-being.

Education:
University of Georgia – Ph.D., Industrial/Organizational Psychology, 2016 – 2019
East Carolina University – M.A., Industrial/Organizational Psychology, 2014 – 2016
Virginia Tech – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, Business Leadership, 2011 – 2014

Katie Pesch, Ph.D., Talent Assessment Consultant

Dr. Pesch is a Talent Assessment Consultant with SKS Consulting Group. She graduated with her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Iowa State University, where she studied vocational psychology. Her teaching and research activities revolved around career development, person-environment fit, and vocational assessment. She also brings extensive experience in integrated personality assessment to her role.

Education:
Iowa State University – Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, 2011 – 2017
University of Minnesota – Twin Cities – B.A., Psychology, 2006 – 2009

Kendra Van Rossum, Psy.D., Talent Assessment Consultant

Dr. Van Rossum is an Assistant Talent Assessment Consultant with SKS Consulting Group. She graduated with her Psy.D. in Counseling Psychology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. She utilizes insight from her applied experiences in healthcare to influence comprehensive understandings of individual and organizational success. Guided by her training in psychological assessment and evidence-based interventions, she leverages data to support informed hiring decisions and greater awareness of talent and development opportunities.

Education:
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota – Psy.D., Counseling Psychology, 2016-2021
M.A., Counseling and Psychological Services, 2015 – 2017 
Minnesota State University – Mankato  –  B.S., Psychology and Gender & Women’s Studies, 2010 – 2015

Mark Goetz, Ph.D., Talent Assessment Consultant

Dr. Goetz is a Talent Assessment Consultant with SKS Consulting Group. He is passionate about assisting organizations in making hiring decisions and helping leaders to maximize their leadership performance and potential.  He approaches his partnership with organizations and leaders through a data driven perspective and a behaviorally based approach. Over his decade of experience, he has conducted thousands of assessments, led leadership developmental programs, conducted program evaluations, and led enterprise-wide cultural programs in areas such as well-being and employee experience. His past experience provides him a lens from which to clearly see the nuance and skill needed for effective and thoughtful leadership consultancy.  In addition to his assessment and coaching expertise, he has conducted and published research on marketing campaigns, telehealth programs and on well-being/health.  Dr. Goetz completed his Ph.D. from the University of North Dakota and went on to complete his internship at Duke University and postdoctoral training at the University of Washington. 

Education
University of Washington – Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2010-2011
Duke University – Predoctoral Internship, 2009-2010
University of North Dakota – Ph.D., Clinical Psychology 2005 – 2010
North Dakota State University – B.S., Psychology, 2002 – 2005

Marina Mery, Ph.D., Talent Assessment Consultant

Dr. Marina Mery is recent graduate of the Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology doctoral program at the University of Oklahoma (OU). She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Philosophy and her Master’s degree in Psychology from Tulane University. Prior to graduate school, she worked as a research data coordinator for MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, coordinating quality of life studies for breast cancer patients. Her primary research interests focus on ethical decision-making in online contexts and impact of social media use on attitudes and behaviors. She is excited to leverage her extensive education in I/O psychology and experience in research methodology to assist organizations in meaningfully interpreting data to facilitate informed personnel decisions. 

Education
University of Oklahoma – Ph.D., Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 2022
Tulane University – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and Philosophy
Masters Degree, Psychology

Yi Du, Ph.D., Talent Assessment Consultant 

Dr. Du is a Talent Assessment Consultant with SKS Consulting Group. She graduated with her Ph.D. in
Counseling Psychology from Iowa State University and completed her pre- and post-doctoral training at
University of California, Berkeley. She received extensive training on counseling, human development,
and vocational/psychological assessment. Prior to joining SKS, Dr. Du worked primarily with adults in
higher education and provided coaching, counseling, and psychological evaluation to individuals from
diverse groups in the community.

Education

Iowa State University – Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, 2010 – 2016

Melissa Robinson, MBA, Business Operations Leader

Melissa is the Business Operations Leader at SKS Consulting Group. She graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a BS in Actuarial Science and an MBA from St Cloud State University with additional studies in leadership at St. Catherine University. Leveraging a background in financial and operational performance, she excels in budgeting, forecasting, and analysis to address operational inefficiencies, drive performance excellence, and strategically improve or create solutions for successful outcomes. With a solution- and action- oriented mindset, she is excited to be surrounded by intelligent and driven colleagues and to expand impact on the business community. 

Jeremiah McMillan, Ph.D., Lead Data Scientist

Dr. McMillan has extensive training in applying scientifically rigorous methods and state-of-the-art statistical models to optimize effective talent selection and management. He has several years’ experience developing and validating cognitive and non-cognitive psychological assessments with a specialty in computerized adaptive testing and gamified assessment. He has published and presented his psychometrics-related research internationally. He is passionate about developing data tools and products to improve insights for internal and external SKS stakeholders alike.

Education
University of Georgia – Ph.D., Industrial/Organizational Psychology, 2019

Phillip Starns, MS, Data Analyst, People Analytics

Phillip graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri in 2019 where he received his BA in Psychology with a minor in Spanish. His passion for learning led him to Missouri State University where he was awarded a Master of Science degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology with an emphasis in Research Design and Statistical Methodology. After his academic career Phillip leveraged his data collecting, cleaning, and analysis expertise to help drive meaningful change within various federal and private organizations. Phillip’s analytical, yet creative, problem-solving approach makes him a unique asset to the SKS Data Analytics Team.

Education
Missouri State University – Master of Science, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, 2019 – 2021
Truman State University – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology, 2015 – 2019

Jessie Collins, Client Services Lead, Project Specialist

Jessie is a Client & Assessment Coordinator with SKS Consulting Group. She graduated from Minnesota State University with a B.A. where she studied psychology. Supported by her experience in customer service, she is passionate about delivering high quality service efficiently. She is passionate about helping others, excels in tailoring her approach for each person, and enjoys talking with both candidates and clients.

Mimmie Sjoberg, Client Services Coordinator, Operations Specialist

Mimmie She graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a BA in Technical Theatre and a Minor in Business. Equipped with over a decade of customer service experience, she is dedicated to providing the highest quality support to candidates and clients alike. Her passion for people and can-do attitude proves to be invaluable in providing an exceptional SKS experience. With an eagerness to foster and grow client and candidate relationships, Mimmie looks forward to working with you.

Lindsay Woodworth, Client Services Coordinator

Lindsay graduated from Argosy University with a BA in Psychology. Lindsay has several years of administrative and operational experience and has a passion for the field of Psychology. Her strength in multitasking, strong organizational skills, and a drive for success make Lindsay a valued member of the operations team. Lindsay also brings a strong interpersonal dynamic to SKS Consulting Group, and she is motivated to provide a professional and personable experience for clients, candidates, and colleagues.

Taylor March, Client Services Coordinator

Taylor is a Client Services Coordinator with SKS Consulting Group. She graduated from Iowa State University cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. With a background in client and customer relations, she excels in calendar management, time management, multitasking, and customer service. She has an expertise in providing a quality and supportive candidate experience and excels in providing accurate and quality work in order to ensure positive client and candidate relationships.

Casey Hale, Administrative Assistant

Casey graduated from the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 2022 where she received her BA in Psychology with a minor in Entrepreneurship. She is detail-oriented, has a can-do attitude, and has been regularly recognized for her personable yet professional approach in the workplace. With her passion for helping people, Casey excels at ensuring that the SKS clients, candidates, and team members feel supported on a daily basis.