i build Culture and people practices That drive human ingenuity.
Most organizations aren't short on human potential. The challenge is whether the culture, leadership, and people practices amplify it…or get in the way.
Because ultimately, the point isn't better HR.
It's better performance.
I build differently
Because tomorrow’s problems won’t be solved with yesterday’s playbook.
HR from first principles.
Is a “best practice” helping…or just keeping the system stuck in place? I start with the outcome, question assumptions, and design for the unique organization I’m meant to serve.
Design for coherence.
People don't experience work as a collection of HR programs. So why design them that way? I connect strategy, goals, performance, development, promotion, and rewards so people understand what success looks like and how to get there.
Define the field of play. Get out of the way.
Give people clear expectations, useful guardrails, the right tools, and real support. Then allow them to use their judgment. Good people systems enable performance without trying to control it.
human-Centered. Results-focused. at scale.
In practice
66%
of VPs promoted from within
following a leadership development program I built and led.
$50M
drove the technology roadmap and cross-institutional planning with Harvard, the Smithsonian, and Bibliotheca Alexandrina, bringing 1.8 M species records online through the Encyclopedia of Life.
+13 POINTS
Learning & Development engagement rose 13 points as we rebuilt how people learned, developed, and grew. This factor is a key driver of overall employee engagement.
designed for 4x growth
from 150 -> 600 staff, led enterprise growth and scale across performance, talent, job architecture and leadership in partnership with executive team.
Top 25%
of the manager effectiveness benchmark for new tech and nonprofits. It was by design: an organization-wide manager development intervention drove and sustained the result.
30+ countries
Scale requires coherence. A principled approach that’s consistent enough in how we develop and reward our talent regardless of place. One employee experience, not many.
where i sit on culture
Too soft and nobody knows what winning looks like. Too controlling and you squeeze out the judgment and ingenuity you hired people for.
The work is creating the conditions for clarity without unnecessary control. Ambition with humanity. Systems that guide without getting in the way.
Because the organizations that thrive won't be the ones with the most HR infrastructure. They'll be the ones that can bring out the best of human judgment, creativity, and adaptability when it matters most.
What People Are Saying
“She knows how to encourage discussion and drive to meaningful outcomes. She is a true morale boost and a trusted member of the leadership teams. I can easily give her the highest recommendation available.”
“I worked with Kristen for 7 + years at the Wikimedia Foundation, where she has taken Learning and Development to a new level. Kristen shows up 100% for her people, leads by example, and often helped me unlock new insights around management and leadership.”
“Kristen was an exceptional partner in advancing our people strategy.
She combines strategic vision with flawless execution. Kristen consistently delivered with insight, impact, and empathy.
She’s not only highly effective but also a joy to collaborate with — thoughtful and mission-driven.”
“From our first day working together, your facilitation and organization of strategy and HR sessions has been an inspiration. Even in tough conversations I always enjoyed our times together.”
“Kristen had an incredible impact during her 7 years at the Wikimedia Foundation. She supported the organization through a period of significant growth into becoming a 500+ person organization. She created an atmosphere for professional development that is crucial to Wikimedia as a learning organization. The impactful tools Kristen developed transformed our performance and promotion programs that helped ensure fair and transparent processes for our staff. Wikimedia is stronger today thanks to Kristen’s leadership.”
“Kristen facilitated hard conversations among our managers to drive forward organizational changes around leveling our people, promotions, and career development to name a few. We continue to use the tools Kristen and her team’s developed over the last several years, and our organization is more professional and more development oriented because of it. ”