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In her role, Charles will lead the efforts for leading purpose-driven brands like Strong Roots, GoGuardian, and Okcoin, while driving impact for nonprofits like the ACLU, Consumer Reports and the March of Dimes. Charles will report directly to OBERLAND CEO and Co-Founder Drew Train.
“When something is new and different, I find a way to validate it,” says Charles. Prior to OBERLAND, Charles was Chief Planning Officer at Lippe Taylor Group (parent company for Lippe Taylor and twelvenote) and the planning lead behind the Midol “No apologies. Period” campaign. She led digital agency 360i’s planning department during the acclaimed 2013 Super Bowl “You Can Still Dunk in the Dark” tweet from Oreo as well as the agency’s pioneering winning pitch for Coca-Cola’s social media monitoring.
Charles prides herself on the high retention rates teams she has led: “I try to really see both the person and the employee, not one more than the other.”
Charles is a founding member of Chief, the private network focused on connecting and supporting women executives. She served on the Board of Directors for Colors of Connection from 2017 through 2020, and is still an active volunteer. She is also launching a women’s health products start-up, Monarxx.
"I have this unique opportunity to apply my data-driven experience to a purpose-driven world, “ says Charles. “OBERLAND has an eight-year head start on everybody trying to jump on the bandwagon. However, we know It’s no longer about convincing brands that they need purpose. It’s now about offering reliable expertise and accountability so that their efforts will thrive.
“My vision for OBERLAND is to add more representative standards to the industry, as well as create real models of impact to show that this work is not only more fair and inclusive for the rest of the world; it actually drives a better return on investment.”
Kate, who is originally from Minnesota, says she is happiest when she is around people who aren’t all the same: “My husband is Haitian, so we’re raising bi-racial, bilingual children which gives me a broader perspective on life every day.” During her freelance photographer days, she wrote the blog “My Fare Lady” about conversations she struck up with taxi drivers.
“Kate brings a vision and energy that enables us to secure top industry staff despite the highly competitive market we’re all in” says Train. “She’s also passionate about bringing a rigor to purpose by launching our proprietary Returns On Purpose (ROP) measurement framework that quantifies the value of purpose efforts for our clients and the industry at large.”
“Kate brings a vision and energy that enables us to secure top industry staff despite the highly competitive market we’re all in” says Train. “She’s also passionate about bringing a rigor to purpose by launching our proprietary Returns On Purpose (ROP) measurement framework that quantifies the value of purpose efforts for our clients and the industry at large.”
- Drew Train, CEO and Co-Founder at OBERLAND
Since Kate is a big games fan, we’ve decided to honor Kate’s arrival with a crossword puzzle. Click and play.