Welcome to Julie Kesterke - LeadingAge Minnesota’s New Online Learning Specialist 

Posted on September 24, 2026 by Sharon Hollister

LeadingAge Minnesota is pleased to welcome Julie Kesterke to our staff as our new Online Learning Specialist.

In this role, Julie will help support and expand our live and on-demand learning opportunities for members across settings and professional roles. She will also provide support to participants completing LeadingAge Minnesota’s LALD Coursework, helping ensure learners have a smooth and positive experience as they move through the program.

Julie brings more than ten years of experience in adult education programs and learning and development. Her background includes designing and delivering instructor-led and asynchronous learning, managing learning management systems, developing e-learning and micro-learning, and partnering with subject matter experts to create accessible and engaging educational content.

Most recently, Julie served as Manager of Academic Learning & Development at Capella University, where she developed training programs, oversaw 70+ graduate assistants providing supplemental instruction, administered learning platforms, created synergistic and lean processes, and produced/facilitated more than 25 synchronous learning sessions annually. She also brings extensive learner support experience, including the academic coaching of more than 500 learners, and program and logistics management of the Executive MBA program at The Carlson School of Management.

Julie’s combination of instructional design, technology, program and event management and learner support will be an asset as LeadingAge Minnesota continues to grow its virtual education offerings. With Julie’s support, we look forward to creating even more opportunities for members to access timely, practical education—whether they participate live or learn on their own schedule—and to making the overall participant experience even better.

"I am thrilled to be joining LeadingAge Minnesota to bring my talents in adult education to a new sector.  Online education is so vital for working professionals to continue their growth and professional development while balancing life. I look forward to learning more about our members and how I can best serve them with engaging, meaningful, and relevant content.” — Julie Kesterke

Please join us in welcoming Julie to LeadingAge Minnesota!