Kathryn Rudloff
Executive Director | weVENTURE Women's Business Center | Florida Tech
Melbourne, FL, UNITED STATES
Kathryn Rudloff is an experienced operations professional skilled in coalition building and advocacy with a focus on women-owned businesses.
Areas of Expertise (6)
Gender Economics
Female Entrepreneurship
Small Business Advocacy
Workplace Equality
Gender Dynamics in the Workplace
Paid Family Leave Policies
About
Kathryn Rudloff holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from The Ohio State University and a Master's in Political Management from George Washington University. She is currently working toward a doctorate in business administration at Florida Tech.
Her dissertation research is focused on looking at gendered work systems and policies like paid family leave and their impact on female labor force participation and entrepreneurship.
Kathryn has worked in strategic messaging, communications and fundraising for political committees and campaigns in Washington, D.C., California and Florida. She has worked on campaigns at every level and a 2007 presidential campaign as Florida director of field operations. She served two years as district director for the Congressman from FL-08 and four years as executive director of the local pro-business non-partisan advocacy organization Business Voice Political Committee.
Kathryn joined weVENTURE Women’s Business Center in the Bisk College of Business at Florida Tech in January 2020 as executive director. weVENTURE WBC is the leading voice and resource for female entrepreneurs on the Space and Treasure Coasts. Kathryn serves as a community advocate for female business owners and oversees the center’s low- and no-cost business education programming. weVENTURE WBC serves over 600 unique clients a year, and under Kathryn’s leadership has expanded program offerings to reach underserved communities in the expansive region.
Kathryn serves on the board of the National Association of Women’s Business Centers, representing nearly 150 WBC’s in all 50 US states and territories.
As an advocate for women and children and for her work in the political arena, she was recognized in 2017 as one of her area's “4 under 40” leaders by the local organization LEAD Brevard.
Research Focus (1)
Kathryn Rudloff's dissertation research is focused on paid family leave policies and the impact on female labor force participation and entrepreneurship.
Media Assets
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Media Appearances (7)
Validation for Work at Home
Everything Brevard
2021-09-28
Earlier this year, LinkedIn announced they were adding “Stay at Home Mom” and other caretaker titles to the list of available job titles for individuals to add to their online, public resume. The announcement came in response to negative backlash, after 2.4 million American women left the workforce from March 2020 to March 2021 and publicly beseeched the company to provide better options to reflect the career choices they were making to support their families during an unprecedented year.
New Federal Funds Will Allow weVENTURE to Expand Outreach, Offerings
Florida Tech News
2021-09-21
“We are honored to be a valued community resource at the time the community needs it,” said Kathryn Rudloff, weVENTURE WBC executive director. “These grants will allow us to further assist the small-business community as it responds to and recovers from the pandemic.”
Cocoa program looks to spur growth of minority businesses
Spectrum News 13 tv
2021-05-11
The program will also partner with weVENTURE Women's Business Center at Florida Tech.
Working from home, raising three boys amid COVID-19 has been blessing, hard | Opinion
TCPalm online
2020-05-15
It summarizes my emotions perfectly in this crazy time. I feel blessed to be employed, to be safe and healthy, and to be able to spend my days with the people I love most in a home with all the comforts we could ever need. But it is hard. It is so hard.
Kathryn Rudloff Named New Executive Director of Florida Tech Bisk College of Business weVENTURE
Space Coast Daily News
2020-02-13
If you dream of starting your own business, or if you want to take your company to the next level, you need to talk with Kathryn Rudloff. Rudloff, the new executive director of Florida Tech’s weVENTURE, is a wealth of information when it comes to business.
Women power: A seat at the table in the room where it happens
Florida Today
2019-03-07
Three years ago, I wrote a column for weVenture about the need for more women to engage in the political process. It has been awesome to see women across America step up their efforts in political advocacy, contributions and running for office.
Calling Tallahassee: Concerns fly as session winds down
Florida Today
2017-04-15
With only three weeks remaining in regular session, now is the time for our leaders in Tallahassee to work together if they hope to achieve anything meaningful in 2017.
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