Katarina Friberg-Felsted

Katarina Friberg-Felsted is a Professor (Clinical) in the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program at the University of Utah College of Nursing, with an adjunct appointment in the Department of Health & Kinesiology. She serves as the Assistant Dean for her program and holds a PhD in Nursing Research with a focus on aging.

• Higher Education Teaching Specialist (2016)
• Fellow in multiple gerontological societies
• Recipient of national and university-level awards

Research Focus

Dr. Friberg-Felsted specializes in age-friendly university networks, complementary therapies for older adults, and mindfulness-based interventions for chronic conditions like urge urinary incontinence. Her work emphasizes the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change and contextual factors in aging populations.

Teaching & Leadership

She teaches core gerontology courses including Introduction to Aging, Health and Optimal Aging, and International Dimensions of Lifelong Learning, with enrollments spanning academic levels. She chairs the Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program Advisory Committee and co-founded the GSA Student Chapter at the University of Utah.

Grants & Collaborations

Dr. Friberg-Felsted leads age-friendly initiatives through grants from the College of Nursing Excellence in Education and AARP seed funding. Her work maps gerontology competencies to curriculum and develops caregiver training modules for community nurses.

Scientific Contributions

She has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, with recent pilot studies on mindfulness in rehabilitation and age-friendly policy implementation. Her research has been presented at 50+ national and international conferences.