Over the course of her 25-year career, Traci Arends, PhD, has followed her own path. Dr. Arends is a military veteran who served as a Korean language translator in the U.S. Air Force. With that background, she learned how to think beyond conventional frameworks. As the owner of Arends Consulting, she utilizes that skill to help clients achieve optimal mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Academic Milestones and Growth
After the military, Dr. Arends transitioned into working with library systems during the early 2000s. In that capacity, she developed curricula for more than 70 libraries in Wisconsin. In 1997, she earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from the University of Northwestern, St. Paul. In 2010, she obtained a master’s degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
Dr. Arends’ work evolved into leadership roles in higher education. These positions involved designing courses for college-bound high school students and developing robust online learning programs. By 2023, she had worked as the senior director of curriculum and instruction and the director of online graduate programs at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Amid her educational and career accomplishments, Dr. Arends’ next life chapter took a spiritual turn.
A Dedication to Education
With a passion for education, Dr. Arends pursued a Doctor of Philosophy at Liberty University. While there, she focused her research on transformational learning. It was a choice inspired by her spiritual background. Throughout her studies, she explored how the transformational learning factor aids personal growth.
As the owner of Arends Consulting, Dr. Arends works primarily with higher education institutions, corporations, and nonprofits to create client-centered learning opportunities. Her keen listening skills and strategic approach are grounded in her scholarly research and curriculum development.
A Rebrand Centered on Human Connection
Currently, Arends Consulting is undergoing changes. “Right now, I am working on a rebrand,” Dr. Arends says. “My priority is to leverage my research to transform individuals and help them show up in the world as the best versions of themselves.” Additionally, she aims to make her work more accessible through corporate partnerships and writing.
Dr. Arends is also taking on an ambitious construction project with The Reclamation Point, which will serve as a retreat center where people can find renewal, reconnection, and optimal well-being.
A Life of Purpose, Not Performance
With a blended family of six children and six grandchildren, Dr. Arends devotes herself to civic endeavors. As a eucharistic minister, she brings Communion to the homebound each month. Additionally, she serves on nonprofit boards and volunteers with organizations that support the displaced and elderly.
Moving forward, Dr. Arends plans to continue publishing, expanding her retreat offerings, and completing the Labyrinth Facilitator Certification in France. She also intends to create a line of merchandise offering messages of affirmation and validation.
Although Dr. Arends is managing several projects, she aims to complete them. “Persistence, courage and willingness to take risks are important qualities, especially if you are a one-man show,” she says. “No one else is going to pick up the slack.”
“I surround myself with people who have integrity and aspire to excellence,” she says. Dr. Arends never pretends to have all the answers. What she offers is a rare blend of scholarship, spiritual insight, and practical guidance. Perhaps one question captures the essence of her work: What is helping people grow?
