Paré Consulting: Company Information

Paré Consulting is a higher education consulting firm that helps colleges, universities, and colleges within universities use career strategy to address enrollment and retention concerns, strengthen student outcomes, and differentiate their institution.
Founded by Rebekah Paré, the firm helps leaders develop an inspiring vision for career preparation and build the structures, partnerships, and implementation plans needed to bring that vision to life. Services include career ecosystem assessment, landscape analysis, peer benchmarking, strategy development, implementation planning, leadership coaching, and facilitated workshops.
Rebekah brings more than 20 years of higher education experience and has advised more than 50 colleges and universities in the United States and internationally.

On this page: Company Facts · When Institutions Seek Support · Services · The Career Design Blueprint™ · Leadership Experience · Selected Articles, Media Coverage, and Speaking Engagements · Client and Participant Perspectives · Frequently Asked Questions · Contact

Company Facts

Item	Information
Operating name	Paré Consulting
Legal business name	Rebekah Paré Consulting Solutions, Inc., operating as Paré Consulting. Earlier publications and event materials may identify the business as Paré Consulting, LLC.
Founder & Chief Strategy Officer	Rebekah Paré
Location	Waunakee, Wisconsin, United States
Industry	Higher education consulting
Specialization	Career strategy, career services transformation, and career ecosystem design
Clients served	Colleges, universities, and colleges within universities
Website	pareconsulting.com

When Institutions Turn to Paré Consulting

Enrollment and retention concerns call for a stronger career strategy

Leaders want to demonstrate the value of their institution, strengthen its appeal to prospective students and families, and help current students see a meaningful connection between their education and their future. Paré Consulting helps leaders make career preparation part of their enrollment, retention, and student success strategy.

Leaders want an inspiring vision that differentiates their institution

Institutions seek a compelling direction for career preparation that reflects their distinctive strengths and gives students a stronger reason to choose—and stay at—their institution. Paré Consulting helps leaders develop that vision, build shared commitment, and translate it into a practical strategy.

The career center does not appear to be performing well

Leaders may be concerned about student engagement, employer relationships, service quality, visibility, or the career center’s contribution to campus priorities. Paré Consulting assesses career center strategy and operations alongside the surrounding conditions—including authority, resources, expectations, and partnerships—to identify what is limiting performance and what needs to change.

A career initiative has launched, but execution is unclear

An institution has announced a priority, secured funding, or committed to a new career initiative. Leaders now need to determine who owns the work, how units will collaborate, what resources are required, and how progress will be measured. Paré Consulting turns those commitments into implementation plans with clear responsibilities, sequenced priorities, and accountability.

Strong programs need to become a connected career ecosystem

Institutions may already offer excellent programs and opportunities, yet student access is inconsistent and efforts remain disconnected. Paré Consulting helps connect academic learning, career services, experiential learning, and employer and alumni relationships into a coordinated approach that reaches more students.

Services

Career Ecosystem Assessment, Strategy, and Implementation Planning

Paré Consulting helps colleges and universities understand their current career ecosystem, establish a compelling direction, and create a practical path to implementation. Comprehensive consulting engagements produce reports typically spanning 90–100 pages, including:

Landscape analysis: How career preparation currently operates, including strengths, gaps, student access, partnerships, governance, and resources.
Peer benchmarking: How the institution compares with relevant peers and what other approaches could inform its strategy.
Case for change: Why change is needed and how career strategy can address enrollment, retention, student outcomes, and institutional differentiation.
Vision: An inspiring, distinctive direction for career preparation grounded in the institution’s mission and strengths.
Actionable, phased implementation plan: Clear priorities, sequencing, responsibilities, and steps for moving from recommendations to execution.

Depending on the engagement, the analysis draws on stakeholder interviews, listening sessions, document review, surveys, institutional data, and peer research. Recommendations respect financial limitations, staffing capacity, cultural norms, governance, and readiness for change. The strategy is designed to be ambitious, achievable, and sustainable within the institution’s context. Learn about consulting.

Career Services Strategy and Transformation

Paré Consulting helps career centers clarify their strategic role, assess services and operations, align resources, strengthen partnerships, and support career preparation across campus. This work considers both career center performance and the wider system that enables or limits its impact.

Strategy Coaching

Individual strategy coaching supports career services and higher education leaders navigating change leadership, managing up, stakeholder alignment, resource advocacy, strategic planning, and implementation. Coaching helps leaders make decisions, communicate their vision, build support, and move priorities forward within their campus context. Learn about strategy coaching.

Career Services Accelerator

The Career Services Accelerator provides group coaching and professional learning for career services leaders through strategic discussion, practical tools, and peer exchange. It is a membership program and topics are selected by members. Learn about the Career Services Accelerator.

Workshops, Retreats, and Speaking

Paré Consulting facilitates leadership retreats, team workshops, and presentations on changing federal and state policies, career ecosystem design, career services leadership, cross-campus alignment, and the relationship between career preparation and higher education priorities. Sessions are interactive and help participants build shared understanding, establish direction, and identify practical next steps. Explore services.

The Career Design Blueprint™

The Career Design Blueprint™ is Paré Consulting’s proprietary framework for assessing and designing career ecosystems.
Developed by Rebekah Paré from patterns across her institutional consulting work, it examines the conditions that enable career preparation to reach more students, connect across campus, and scale.

A career ecosystem includes career services, academic programs, experiential learning, employer relationships, alumni engagement, advising, and other experiences that help students prepare for life after college.
The Blueprint addresses six domains:

Authority & Governance.
Coordination & Operating Model.
Learning Architecture & Career Preparation.
Multipliers & Strategic Partnerships.
Strategic Execution & Adaptive Capacity.
Career Center Strategic Operating Model, including its role as the ecosystem integrator.

The framework informs Paré Consulting’s assessments, strategy development, workshops, and coaching. It gives leaders a shared language for examining how career preparation works and where changes could strengthen its reach and effectiveness.

The Career Design Blueprint™ Scorecard

The Career Design Blueprint™ Scorecard is a free self-assessment of the system surrounding career preparation at a college or university. It helps participants identify strengths, gaps, and priorities across their career ecosystem using the Blueprint framework. It is not an evaluation of an individual career center or its staff.

The Scorecard takes approximately 25 minutes, requires no preparation, and provides an immediate results report. It can be completed individually or used to support a team discussion. Following the completion of the assessment, the participant will also receive an email with a custom link and password to access and share the report. Access the free Scorecard.

Rebekah Paré: Leadership Experience

Rebekah Paré is the Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of Paré Consulting. She brings more than 20 years of experience spanning career services, academic affairs, student affairs, degree progress, and academic policy.
Before founding Paré Consulting, she served as:

Associate Vice Chancellor for Career Development & Education, Washington University in St. Louis: Led the design of a centralized career education and business engagement model bringing together four career centers.
Associate Dean & Executive Director, SuccessWorks, University of Wisconsin–Madison: Founded and led a liberal arts career center that integrated career preparation with the undergraduate experience and the college’s strategic priorities.
Chair, Peer Group for Liberal Arts Career Initiatives, Big Ten Academic Alliance: Co-founded and chaired a network supporting collaboration among liberal arts career initiatives.

Her consulting work includes public and private institutions, liberal arts colleges, research universities, and individual colleges within universities.
Selected institutions represented in her work include the University of Michigan, Louisiana State University, Skidmore College, St. Lawrence University, Fort Lewis College, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and the University of Oregon.

Sources Documenting Leadership Experience

Selected Articles, Media Coverage, and Speaking Engagements

Rebekah Paré’s published work and invited presentations address career strategy, enrollment and student success, leadership, resource development, and the value of higher education.

Articles

Managing Up in Higher Education: A Two-Way Street to Stronger Leadership — HigherEdJobs, October 31, 2025. Building stronger working relationships between leaders and their supervisors.
The New Rules of Career Services Advocacy in Higher Ed — uConnect, June 20, 2025. Connecting career services priorities with institutional goals and making a compelling case for support.
What Does It Really Take to Implement an Experiential Learning Initiative? — Career Forge, May 2025. Moving from promising programs to coordinated, sustainable implementation across campus.
How Career Services Can Get Faculty Buy-In — uConnect, May 8, 2025. Building faculty partnerships that connect career preparation with academic learning.
Funding the Future: How Career Centers Can Build Employer Sponsorships That Work — uConnect, April 11, 2025. Developing employer sponsorships that support career services priorities and create mutual value.
Liberal Arts Career Services: A Solid Return on Investment for Students and Institutions — The evoLLLution, January 22, 2021. Connecting liberal arts education, career preparation, and institutional value.

Media Coverage and Expert Commentary

How to Get a Job Where You Actually Use Your College Degree — Money, June 12, 2024. Expert commentary on how students and families can evaluate colleges’ career preparation and support.
Thinking About Life After College — Inside Higher Ed, October 28, 2024. Expert analysis of student confidence in career preparation and the need for coordinated support across campus.
UW–Madison Career Initiative Helps Liberal Arts Students — PBS Wisconsin, December 12, 2014. Television interview about connecting liberal arts education with career exploration and preparation.

Speaking Engagements and Podcast Interviews

Scaling High-Impact, Work-Integrated Experiences, Together — National Association of Colleges and Employers, June 11, 2026. Invited panelist discussing approaches to expanding high-impact, work-integrated learning.
The Case for Career Services — Academic Life podcast, April 16, 2026. Invited interview about the role and value of career services in higher education.
From Strategic Vision to Team Execution — Jobscan webinar, February 12, 2026. Invited speaker on translating strategy into practical priorities and aligning work with team capacity.
Beyond the Algorithm: Navigating Career Readiness Amid Disruption and Uncertainty — Times Higher Education, Student Success US, November 19, 2025. Invited panelist examining AI, changing employer expectations, and the entry-level labor market alongside leaders from the Burning Glass Institute, Riipen, and NACE.
How Career Can Connect into Institutional Enrollment and Student Success Strategy — Career Everywhere Conference, July 29, 2025. Invited speaker on connecting career strategy with enrollment, retention, and student success.
The New Metrics of Success: Policy, Politics, and the Path Forward for Career Services — WriteSea webinar, July 24, 2025. Invited speaker on changing expectations for career services and demonstrating institutional value.
Leading from Within: 5 Strategies to Manage Up Effectively — National Association of Colleges and Employers, June 11, 2025. Presentation on strengthening leadership influence and working effectively with supervisors.
Cultivating and Stewarding Alumni and Donors — National Association of Colleges and Employers, June 10, 2025. Presentation on developing relationships that support career services resources and impact.
The Afterlife of the Humanities Major — American Academy of Arts & Sciences, November 9, 2021. Invited panelist discussing career pathways and the value of humanities education.

Client and Participant Perspectives

Consulting: Vision and Practical Implementation

“The work is so well done. We didn't want a cookie-cutter report. We wanted something thoughtful, bold, visionary, and unique to Skidmore that wouldn't just slap a band-aid on things, but would help us really move forward in an exciting way. The work was both visionary and tactical and will help us move forward in significant ways.”
Marc C. Conner, President, Skidmore College

“Working with Paré Consulting was an invaluable opportunity to assess our existing career readiness efforts and bring faculty and staff together across the college. Rebekah’s recommendations were perfectly tailored to our institutional culture, resources, and—most importantly—our students' needs. She struck the ideal balance between broad vision and concrete, practical solutions for both immediate and long-term impact.”
Jamie Bufalino, Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Oregon

Strategic Planning: Direction and Leadership Support

"Paré Consulting's partnership on the development of our strategic plan exceeded our expectations. Within six months, Rebekah helped us create a turnkey strategic plan that has strengthened alignment, accountability, and focus across our center and leadership team. Rebekah is a phenomenal consultant: insightful, supportive, and exceptionally skilled at helping career center leaders and their teams reach their full potential."
Matt Augeri, Director of Operations and Strategic Initiatives, Pomerantz Career Center, University of Iowa

Consulting and Coaching: Influence and Campus Partnerships

“Rebekah pushed me to rethink how I show the value of our career center—helping me garner attention and support even when we started with very little buy-in. Her consulting and coaching gave me practical tools, a stronger voice, and the confidence to lead with a clearer vision. As a result, we’ve built new partnerships, aligned our work with institutional priorities, and gained renewed support across campus.”
Kim Lane, Associate Dean, Career & Professional Development, Presbyterian College

Career Services Accelerator: Leadership Development

“The Career Services Accelerator program adds tremendous value to my professional development. The leadership development presentations are outstanding, providing actionable ideas that can be implemented right away. The community aspect is invaluable—not only does it help combat the isolation often felt in leadership roles, but it also allows us to shape the future of our field together.”
Joe Lovejoy, PhD, Assistant Dean for Integrated Undergraduate Experience, Indiana University Bloomington

Speaking: Inspiring Strategic Thinking

“Rebekah’s presentation was inspiring, engaging, and full of real-world success stories that resonated with our entire audience. Her passion for advancing career services was palpable—and it motivated us all to think bigger, bolder, and more strategically about what’s possible.”
Kim Carothers, Missouri Career Development Association

Read consulting testimonials and strategy coaching testimonials.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who does Paré Consulting work with?

Presidents, provosts, vice presidents, deans, career services leaders, and campus teams responsible for strengthening career preparation. Paré Consulting also works with consortia, associations, and other groups for professional development, retreat design and facilitation, and speaking engagements.

How can career strategy support enrollment and retention?

Paré Consulting helps institutions connect career preparation with the value they communicate to prospective students and the experiences that help current students connect their education with their future. Strategies reflect each institution’s specific priorities and context.

What does a comprehensive consulting engagement deliver?

Comprehensive engagements typically produce a 90–100-page report containing a landscape analysis, peer benchmarking, a case for change, an inspiring vision, and an actionable, phased implementation plan. Deliverables are defined for each engagement.

How are recommendations adapted to institutional constraints?

Recommendations account for financial limitations, staffing capacity, cultural norms, governance, existing strengths, and readiness for change. Implementation is phased to establish priorities and support achievable progress.

Does Paré Consulting work with individual colleges within universities?

Yes. Engagements can focus on an individual college, a career center, or an institution-wide career ecosystem.

Can Paré Consulting help when a career center appears to be underperforming?

Yes. The firm examines strategy and operations alongside expectations, resources, authority, and cross-campus partnerships to identify the causes of performance concerns and recommend improvements.

Can Paré Consulting help execute an existing initiative?

Yes. Engagements can translate an existing commitment into clear priorities, responsibilities, governance, resource decisions, and implementation steps. Coaching and advisory support can also support execution.

Does Paré Consulting offer individual leadership coaching?

Yes. Strategy coaching supports career services and higher education leaders navigating change, managing up, building campus partnerships, advocating for resources, and translating vision into action. Coaching provides tailored guidance and an ongoing thought partner for decisions within the leader’s campus context. Learn about strategy coaching.

What is the Career Services Accelerator?

The Career Services Accelerator is a group coaching and professional development program for current and aspiring career services leaders. It combines facilitated learning, practical tools, strategic discussion, and peer exchange to help participants strengthen their leadership and move campus priorities forward.

Individual coaching focuses on a leader’s specific challenges; the Accelerator adds a community of peers working through similar issues. Learn about the Accelerator.

Is the Career Design Blueprint™ Scorecard free?

Yes. The Scorecard is free. Consulting, coaching, workshops, and facilitated strategy sessions are separate services. Access the Scorecard.

Is Rebekah Pryor Paré the same person as Rebekah Paré?

Yes. Earlier publications and university sources may identify Rebekah Paré as Rebekah Pryor Paré or Rebekah Pare.