Background

Professional Bio - Kristin Williams, Path Originator & President

Kristin Williams Kristin Williams’ career has been spent helping organizations bridge resource gaps, innovate programs, develop new initiatives and build sustainable solutions that exceed business goals.

Kristin is a marketing and communications strategist with 15 years of essential experience in corporate, entertainment, tourism and non-profit environments. Serving in critical senior management roles, she has achieved a proven track record for increasing market share, performance, generating revenue and elevating brand and profile. Kristin is an accomplished writer, spokesperson, marketer, fundraiser, negotiator and problem solver. She has a passion for the pursuit of excellence, loves a challenge and thrives under pressure.

Kristin began her career with Canada’s Wonderland, then owned and operated by Viacom. Through countless ownership transitions, that included brand giants like CBS and high profile licensing relationships with Paramount, Nickelodeon and Warner Brothers, Kristin has had the unique opportunity to work with some of the most powerful householder names in North America.

Managing all corporate communications efforts for Canada’s premiere theme park and North America’s most highly attended seasonal theme park, Kristin developed and delivered countless revenue driving programs, including the first cultural festival program of its kind, reaching 18 different language groups and generated millions in new and unduplicated attendance and revenue.

Kristin managed numerous critically sensitive, high profile situations, serving as the park’s primary spokesperson and providing vital counsel and strategic direction. She was the face and voice of the organization for over 10 years and delivered thousands of media opportunities, hundreds on the national and international stage. As the senior member of the North American communications team, she provided crisis communications support and strategies; mentoring and directing the organization through many critical issues and hot topics, which ultimately mitigating risk, improved policies and protected the bottom line.

In 2007, Kristin moved into a senior manager role at the Ontario SPCA, the leading animal welfare organization for the province. Transitioning to the non-profit stage from a corporate and entertainment world, Kristin was positioned well to pioneer programs and to introduce countless new initiatives, which ultimately converted a then small marketing and communications team into an essential collaborative resource central to functioning and proactively supportive of all goals. Serving as the key communications liaison with the Ministry, she assisted in the ushering in of new legislation; she elevated the media profile of the organization by 81% in the first year; introduced and programmed the first formal advertising plans (English and Chinese); launched the first viral/social marketing initiatives; initiated the first research program; authored a crisis communications plan, policies and supporting resources; and designed a new cause-related marketing program, resulting in new revenue generating opportunities. Her media planning and marketing prowess earned the Ontario SPCA the International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies Award for Media and Communications in 2009, for a campaign that attained over 90 million impressions.

Kristin accepted the auspicious appointment of Executive Director for the Nova Scotia SPCA in 2009. Heading up the provincial charity, Kristin oversees all organizational elements including finance, human resources, administration, fund development, marketing, public affairs, animal cruelty investigations and animal care. The charity is legislated to enforce animal cruelty laws and also provides shelter and adoptive services. With the support of a progressive Board of Directors, a seasoned inspectorate, the Provincial Animal Shelter in Halifax and ten dedicated Branches in communities across the province, the Nova SPCA serves as the province’s voice for animal welfare.

Within the first year, Kristin authored and steered the Society and its provincial network to adopt uniform standards and improved comprehensive policies; strengthened collaboration and cooperative measures internal and external to the Society and its Branches; reduced gaps in service and increased support to cruelty investigations; stewarded and tutored the advancement of governance principles within the Provincial and Branch Boards; published numerous educational resources centered in evidence and science; and implemented cost saving and revenue driving measures that has brought stability and sustainability to the essential lifesaving programs and services the Society offers to Nova Scotia. The Society has skyrocketed in public profile, and in the fall of 2010 was nominated and awarded for two International awards in the areas of Education and Wellness. Kristin was also honoured and recognized for her leadership within animal welfare with a scholarship award.

Kristin has served with the Board of Directors for the York Region Children’s Aid Society Foundation and the Kent Farndale Gallery, and has volunteered with the Board of Directors of the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario, the Communications Committee of the Toronto and Central Ontario Hemophilia Society and the Ontario Hemophilia Society. Her formal education is multidisciplinary; including history, sciences and cultural studies, in addition to marketing and communications. Her crisis communications coach is an Emmy-award winning, 25 year veteran journalist. Kristin has also guest lectured at many colleges in Ontario on niche marketing and tourism marketing strategies and served as a teaching assistant at Guelph University in equine sciences in the area of environmental management and nutrition.

Kristin was born in former North York and spent her youth in Ontario and Quebec. Her husband and children enjoy spending time together, enjoying life! Kristin’s personal interests include world issues, animal welfare, the economy, the environment, cultural studies, art history, travel and healthy living. She enjoys photography, reading, painting, riding, cycling, hiking, learning and most of all, loving and caring for her family. Kristin and her family live just outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.