Katie Whalen
Global Communications Leader | Shaping Brand, Culture & Reputation | Driving Growth Through Storytelling & Strategy
- Role
- Senior Director Corporate Communications at Charter Next Generation
- Location
- Chicago, IL, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Katie Whalen
With 16+ years in corporate communications, I’m a global leader and trusted advisor to executive teams—shaping brand, culture, and reputation to drive growth and lasting business impact.I currently lead Corporate Communications at Charter Next Generation (CNG), a leader in specialty materials for sustainable packaging and other applications. I oversee enterprise-wide communications—spanning internal, external, executive, and digital—guiding brand strategy, employee engagement, leadership visibility, media and public relations, sustainability storytelling, and crisis and change communications. I’m proud to help shape the voice of a $5B+ valued business and its 2,600+ employee-owners as we continue to scale with purpose and performance.I bring a creative and data-informed mindset to every challenge, blending strategic thinking, storytelling, and analytics to engage stakeholders and deliver measurable outcomes. My background spans global public companies, nonprofits, and private equity-backed firms across highly regulated industries including energy, chemicals, and advanced manufacturing. From Fortune 500s to fast-growing start-ups, I’ve led communications through M&A, divestitures, crises, brand evolutions, and large-scale transformations.At the heart of it all: I’m a storyteller. I’m passionate about connecting people to purpose and crafting narratives that inspire action, align teams, and unlock competitive advantage. I believe the most powerful stories don’t just inform… they move people and organizations forward. More about me:• Expertise: Corporate Communications | Executive Communications | Culture & Change Strategy | Brand Reputation & Management | Sustainability Storytelling | Stakeholder Engagement• Style: Proactive. Creative. Data-driven. Trusted.• Global Perspective: Experience across North & South America, Europe, and Asia• Outside of work: I’m all about family, travel, cycling, great food, and (Italian) wine!
Experience
Senior Director Corporate Communications
Jun 2025 — Present · Chicago, IL, US
Education
Marquette University
B.A., Communications; Advertising; Marketing
2005 — 2009
Skills
- Analysis
- Program Management
- Proposal Writing
- Energy
- Marketing Communications
- Renewable Energy
- Ms Project
- Project Planning
- Business Development
- Project Management
- Social Media Marketing
- Marketing
- Management
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