Kerry Walters

About Kerry Walters

I\'m an operational executive who turns big-picture strategy into disciplined execution — and keeps the people, processes, and priorities aligned while doing it.For the past several years, I\'ve served as the senior operational leader for a $65M organization, overseeing a 50-person team across three departments and a ~$10M operating budget. My work lives at the intersection of strategy, execution, and culture — the connective tissue between leadership vision and what actually gets built, launched, and delivered.I partner closely with executive leadership to translate annual goals into quarterly plans, OKRs, and cross-functional roadmaps. I own the operating rhythm: agendas, decision logs, action accountability, and board-ready reporting. I draw on industry knowledge, market trends, and real-time reporting to anticipate risks, surface dependencies, and close gaps before they become problems — giving leadership the early warning and context they need to make confident decisions. I\'ve also integrated AI-powered tools into our planning and reporting infrastructure to accelerate decision cycles and reduce manual lift on cross-functional coordination.I\'ve led end-to-end operations for large-scale programs generating $25M+ in revenue, rebuilt budgets and COGS models from the ground up to drive financial clarity, and built scalable systems for documentation, reporting, and internal communication. I leverage AI strategically to optimize production workflows, improve resource planning visibility, and support content and curriculum development at scale — driving a 13% year-over-year attendance increase across a multi-event calendar and launching 6 net-new offerings in a single portfolio cycle.What I\'m known for: removing friction. Whether that\'s resolving cross-team misalignment, redesigning a broken workflow, identifying where automation can replace manual process, or stepping in to lead a high-priority initiative — I\'m the person executives call when they need execution they can count on.My leadership style is collaborative and consensus-driven. I believe the best decisions emerge when the right people are in the room, aligned on context, and trusted to contribute — and I build the conditions for that to happen consistently. I lead with low ego, high accountability, and genuine care for team culture. As a certified Scrum Master and Google AI Professional (2026), I bring both the operational discipline and the technical fluency to build systems that are smarter, more efficient, and more human — not less.

Experience

1. Vice President, Programs, Events & Client Experience

   Brave Thinking Institute

   Dec 2024 — Present

   Named Leader of the Year (2021 & 2023) — one of a select few to receive the company\'s highest honor twice, recognized for exceptional performance, team leadership, and organizational impact.Drove 13% year-over-year attendance growth across live and virtual event portfolio through strategic programming, audience development, and optimized client journeys.Directed the development and launch of 6 net-new events per year through a talented director and team, expanding BTI\'s live and virtual footprint and opening new revenue streams across 5 product divisions.Led full budget rebuild and COGS analysis across 3 departments, identifying inefficiencies and realigning spend to maximize margin without diminishing client experience.Spearheaded DreamBuilder 2.0 — a comprehensive redesign of BTI\'s flagship program — improving curriculum flow, client outcomes, and coach effectiveness.Built and launched the BTI Online Training Center for coach certification, scaling the pipeline to 500+ active certifications and coaches certified to date.Oversaw production of 8 Steps to Successful Selling (8SS), which sold units generating $10M+ in revenue.Maintained world-class NPS scores across all events by building feedback-driven continuous improvement cycles into every program.Championed AI integration across program operations, earning Google AI Professional Certificate to lead the organization\'s emerging technology transformation.

Education

• University of Southern California

  BS, Biological Sciences

  1993 — 1997

Skills

• Customer Service
• Social Networking
• Public Relations
• Program Management
• Leadership
• Fundraising
• Project Management
• Public Speaking
• Nonprofits
• Marketing Communications
• Event Planning
• Non-Profits
• Marketing
• Business Development
• Management
• Project Planning
• Leadership Development
• Social Media
• Event Management
• Research
• Strategic Planning
• Budgets