High Quality Career Support
for All

Our mission is to expand access to meaningful, purpose-driven work for all.

We are a team of psychologists, social workers, researchers, and students committed to advancing career equity.

We partner with universities and nonprofits to strengthen their training and workforce development programs through developing evidence-based programming and training.

Let's Work Together

Who We Serve

Our Services >

We are committed to serving all people, and we are especially interested in providing assistance to individuals who are often excluded from traditional career resources such as immigrants, people of color, women, LGBTQ+ communities, and low-income job seekers.

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Our Impact

A young person with short dark hair and rainbow face paint on their cheek, sitting against a red brick wall with a rusty water pipe and valve.

  • 167 Low-Income Clients Served

  • 65% with Disabilities

  • 53% self-identified as BIPOC

  • 23% self-identified LGBTQI+

  • 18% with Limited English Proficiency

  • 18% with Justice Histories

  • 9% recent USA Immigrants or Refugees

Learn More >

Our Story

The Wanderlust Foundation for Workforce Development (WFWD) was founded by Dr. Katherine Kirkinis. She started her career providing psychotherapy to formally incarcerated men at The Fortune Society. She then went on to work with a variety of vulnerable populations including transgender youth and veterans.

She became interested in vocational psychology, went back to school, and got a Ph.D. From there, she became the CEO of Wanderlust Careers, the top career coaching firm in NYC, which over the past 10+ years has helped thousands of clients detangle the impact of mental health on their careers and land jobs at top companies.

Fueled by the frustration that only the very wealthy could afford high-quality career support, the Wanderlust Foundation was born.

Our non-profit has since grown into a robust team of dedicated students, therapists, psychologists, and social workers who choose to work at the intersection of career and mental health. We are all deeply committed to the idea that meaningful, aligned work is a mental health issue and should be within reach for everyone.

Social Justice is a core part of our mission as we work to level the playing field in the workplace through research, workforce program development, and our own low-fee career services programming.

Wanderlust Foundation is driven by the mission to redefine how people think about their careers and futures. We are proud of the impact we’ve made so far, and our commitment to inclusive, holistic career development remains for underserved populations at the heart of everything we do.

We partner with universities and nonprofits to expand our reach and sustainability.

Testimonials

  • David D.

    “This has been the most effective counseling I've ever received.”

  • Aaron J.

    “I am reading Viktor Frankl's Man’s Search for Meaning, and the practices here at Wanderlust remind me of his logotherapy, where a counselor helps their client to find hope and meaning in the future instead of analyzing their past.”

  • Elvira M.

    “I landed a new job that’s a perfect fit and felt supported every step of the way.”

  • Kim L.

    “After 6 months of job searching and submitting over 100 applications…after working with WFWD, I got 3 interviews and one resulted in a job".”

  • D'Arcy L.

    “I’m appreciative of how WFWD assisted me in making sense of the hardships I was dealing with…I was very clueless about what to do next helped me to see a road ahead that could still lead to a very satisfying career that fits my needs and interests.”

  • Myron J.

    WFWD helped me to bounce back and continue with a career...I am starting a new job now.

  • Juan P.

    “WFWD really made me feel better about myself, and my strengths. Talking to my coach felt like being in therapy and it was a very supportive experience.”

  • Ravi S.

    “WFWD convinced me to take chances and apply for jobs I was interested in even if I felt ill-equipped.”

  • Nia L.

    I am a client in the WFWD program. Since September, I have been working with my Career Coach and have made significant progress with her help. It has become a really important part of my routine…[our work helped me] to find hope and meaning in the future instead of analyzing the past.

  • Moia D.

    “I am starting a new job…I am very thankful for the assistance through the WFWD.”

Ways to Support

Donate

Partner

Your donations help us provide career development resources and services to individuals who may not otherwise have access to them. Whether you make a one-time gift or become a recurring donor, your support directly helps us reach more people in need.

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We welcome partnerships with schools, universities, nonprofits, community organizations, employers, and other organizations that share our commitment to workforce development and equitable access to career opportunities.

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