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Natalie Kim

Voter at We Are Next - Former Director of Strategy - Adweek + ADCOLOR Champions Award

Natalie Kim is the founder of We Are Next, a platform dedicated to helping students and junior talent confidently begin their careers in advertising and marketing. She launched the initiative in 2016 after noticing a lack of accessible resources for young professionals entering the industry. We Are Next offers free content, including a podcast, job board, and career advice, with a focus on inclusivity and diversity.123

Natalie graduated from UCLA in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a minor in French. During her time at UCLA, she was actively involved with the Bruin Advertising and Marketing Team. Her professional background includes over 10 years in advertising, with roles such as Director of Strategy at Firstborn in New York City, where she worked with major clients like L'Oréal and HBO. She has also been recognized on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in Marketing & Advertising and received the GenNext Award from She Runs It.134

Currently, Natalie also serves as Associate Program Director for Learning & Development at Critical Mass, where she leads initiatives to support emerging talent through programs like Trailhead.4

Highlights

Aug 13 · linkedin

After 2 years on the incredible L&D Team, I've moved into a new role at Critical Mass: Associate Director, Talent Insights & Planning.

Interfacing with all pillars of the Talent Team, I look after Talent Strategy & Brand within our I&P team. Through gathering feedback, researching and identifying themes/trends/opportunities, working with the team to design solutions and measuring the impact of programs, I&P helps the Talent Team prioritize its time and energy where it will have the biggest impact on talent experience and retention.

Also focused on ensuring our Talent materials are up to CM brand design standards, and that our tools, technologies and approaches are industry-leading.

Essentially, I get to apply my strategy background to our internal talent efforts. Excited for this next chapter! (And also, a bit bittersweet to expand beyond emerging talent — but I'll always be advocating for our Trailheaders & Alumni!)

Mar 1 · linkedin

I’m headed to Austin next week - who else will be at SXSW?

It’s been more than 10 years since I first attended, and I’ve been thinking a lot about how privileged I was to go as a young strategist. Happy to be able to help bring three of our Critical Mass Trailhead Alumni this year!

Having been in solopreneurship mode with We Are Next + being a new mom for the past 5ish years, it’ll be nice to reconnect with the industry out in the wild. If you’ll be there, I’d love to catch up. ✌🏼

Related Questions

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Natalie Kim
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Location

Portland, Oregon, United States