Kathy Gersch

Kathy Gersch brings over 20 years of executive level experience to Kotter International. She has led teams in strategic planning, change management, business development and alliances, marketing, branding, merchandising, web site development, product management, business analytics, finance, operations and administration.

Prior to joining Kotter International, Kathy led a consulting firm that focused on Senior Executive Consulting in strategic online and offline marketing, web strategy and re-design, channel strategy, business planning, capital sourcing, new venture development, market entry strategy, mergers and acquisitions, turnaround, and general business issues. Kathy also served as an outsourced CEO, CMO and COO resource in the consumer, retail and technology and e-commerce spaces. Representative clients include; Kimberly Clark Corporation, Ecohaus, HomeSavvi.com, Onlineshoes.com, lucy activewear, Port Blakely Companies, VESTUS, and butter LONDON.

In addition to consulting, Kathy served as Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and General Manager of Drugstore.com. She led the drugstore.com over-the-counter business and the beauty.com business unit as well as marketing, merchandising, business analytics, e-commerce operations and product management initiatives for the company. She spearheaded the brand update and led initiatives to build the natural and prestige beauty businesses.

Kathy has also served as Executive Vice President of Marketing, Merchandising and Business Development and as the leader of the Consumer Business Unit of GiftCertificates.com.

At Nordstrom, Kathy served as Vice President of Finance, Strategic Planning and Administration (business unit Chief Financial Officer). For 4 years, she was also Vice President of Faconnable International. Kathy was instrumental in the acquisition and integration into Nordstrom.

While at Milliken and Company, Kathy managed the international expansion of the company’s Visa brand of products. She managed all market research and marketing initiatives for the business unit around the globe. Kathy’s work led to the development of new products for the brand.

Kathy started her career with Coopers and Lybrand consulting in both the private and public sectors to drive large-scale strategy and change management initiatives throughout organizations as part of the Organization Change Practice.

Kathy earned a B.A. with Honors in Communication from the University of Virginia, an MBA with honors from Emory University, and a Master of International Business cum laude from Nijenrode University in The Netherlands. She focused her dissertation work on Bridging the Gap Between Current Reality and Strategic Vision – the integration of change management with strategy.

Kathy serves as a director and former president of the board of the Youth Theatre Northwest, The Pacific Medical Centers board and on 2 other non-profit boards.

Kathy is based in Seattle, WA.