Kate Mielitz
Professor of Practice
Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC®)
Certified Diversity Professional (CDP®)
Contact Information
302 K-State Student Union
785-532-2889
mielitz@k-state.edu
Education
- PH.D. in Personal Financial Planning, Kansas State University
- M.A. in Communications (Interpersonal), University of Wyoming
- B.A. in Broadcasting, University of Wyoming
Area(s) of Specialization
- Financial Counseling and Education
- Working with Vulnerable Populations
- Financial Capability of Transitioning Inmates
Biography
Kate Mielitz, Ph.D., AFC®, CDP® serves as the Executive Director of Powercat Financial and a Professor of Practice in the Personal Financial Planning Department. She has 25 years of experience in financial services, including bankruptcy, fraud, financial counseling, and higher education.
Dr. Mielitz earned a Ph.D. in personal financial planning from Kansas State University and her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and master's degree in interpersonal communications from the University of Wyoming. She obtained her Accredited Financial Counselor certification from the Association of Financial Counseling and Planning Education, AFCPE®, in 2009 via the FINRA Education Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship.
Dr. Mielitz has worked in for-profit and non-profit industry jobs as well as academia. She has worked for AFCPE®, Family Promise of the Mid-Willamette Valley, Consumer Credit Counseling Services, and Beyond Finance, among other organizations. Her primary focus for practice and research is the financial capability of vulnerable populations. In 2019, she won the FINRA Education Foundation Military Spouse Mentor of the Year Award and in 2020 won AFCPE’s Mary Ellen Edmondson Educator of the Year Award. In March 2024 she was awarded the Kansas State University Rising Professional Award in the Personal Financial Planning Department. She obtained her Certified Diversity Professional designation in October 2023.
Dr. Mielitz is committed to making personal finance accessible and inclusive for in-person and online communities. In her spare time, she sits on the Education Advisory Board for the Tourette Association of America, where she also volunteers.