Women Entrepreneur Series: Kirsten Lee Hill
MY NAME IS KIRSTEN.
(PRONOUNCED K UH R - S T IH N).
Think of me as your partner in crime: committed to challenging the status quo and working with you to make the world a better place; as someone to round out the justice league you’re assembling to tackle society’s greatest challenges.
I’m here to be a sounding board for your most ambitious ideas, to ask the tough questions needed to move an idea from good to great, and to serve as the first and last eyes on your most valuable creations.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to help people feel that they matter - to know that their presence and everything that they do adds value to a bigger picture. Oftentimes, we are held back or discouraged by the status quo. We see a world filled with rules and restrictions that prevent us from realizing our full potential.
GRACEFULLY BREAKING RULES BY REDEFINING SUCCESS AND PUSHING BOUNDARIES IS AT THE CORE OF WHO I AM.
I grew up volunteering in nursing homes and soup kitchens which gave me a deep respect and appreciation for the human experience and how unfair life can be. In college, while volunteering in the lowest performing schools in New Orleans, I again felt the crushing disappointment of the status quo and a burning passion to dismantle it. I observed who got to be in the room to make decisions - people with money and power, and was led to pursue my Ph.D. I wanted credentials so that people would care what I had to say. I wanted to matter. But, most importantly, I wanted the people closest to society’s challenge to be let in the room. I thought maybe if I mastered life as a traditional “expert” I could help to open that door.
I graduated with my Ph.D. in Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania and started my company in 2016. Since then, I’ve worked with over 150 entrepreneurs and socially conscious organizations to create space for communities in research and policy, redefine success with rigorous and authentic measures, and build credibility for new ideas. Traditional expertise is a tool; leveraging it creatively, for good, is my superpower.
When I’m not leveraging my research knowledge, natural curiosity, and penchant for being exceptionally thorough, you can find me living my best life as a dog-mom, avid crafter, champagne brunch devotee, and aspiring fashionista.
Leave a comment