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VERDELL WALKER
VERDELL WALKER
STORY ENGINEER & BRAND ARCHITECT.
AGILE OPERATOR.
LEADER.
Mission & Purpose
Who I Am and What I Stand For
My Mission Statement
What I Believe
I am a storyteller, and my mission is to tell stories that move people. People are more than consumers. They have needs and wants, fears and dreams, goals and aspirations. I believe the point of a story is to motivate people to act.
To create and deliver value, you must start with why. To rally stakeholders, you must effectively communicate your why. A brand is simply the expression of your why to the world. All of this is accomplished through story.
Experienced Content & Marketing Executive | Board Member
What I Bring to the Table
I am a seasoned consumer-oriented Content and Marketing professional. I have a proven track record of developing and executing innovative strategies that achieve bottom line growth and increase brand value. One of my greatest strengths is my ability to create compelling content that delights consumers and achieves their “jobs to be done”. My peers regard me as a thought leader and as someone who fosters an inclusive environment, demonstrated by my effectiveness in leading and working collaboratively with teams.
Experience
My Professional Journey
Board Director Service
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL)
Independent Director
- Member of the Nominating and Governance Committee
- Member of the Technology and Data Management Committee
Points of Pride
Spotify
Kids & Family Original Podcast Slate
- Cocomelon Storytime
- Deep Blue Sea
- Gardenkeeper Gus [2023 Kidscreen Award for Best Podcast Nominee]
- Myths of the World
- 100 Cinderellas: Bedtime Stories from Around the World
- The Arabian Nights [Common Sense Media's Best Podcasts of the Year, 2023]
Spotify
SoundUp Kids & Family Accelerator
Provided 10 up-and-coming podcasters from diverse backgrounds in the U.S. with funding and resources to create high-quality content geared toward kids, families, and co-listening experiences.
Mattel
Calm x Thomas & Friends
Led the creation and execution of a well-received content and marketing partnership with #1 wellness app Calm that reached over 2 MM subscribers with branded Sleep Stories and meditation exercises for young children and their families
Education & Training
Harvard Business School
Master of Business Administration, 2017
General Management
Trinity College
Bachelor of Arts, 2009
Economics, International Studies (Middle East concentration)
Languages: Arabic, Mandarin Chinese
National Association of Corporate Directors / Carnegie Mellon
CERT Certificate in Cybersecurity Oversight, August 2022
Santa Clara University
2021 Black Corporate Board Readiness Program
- Part of the inaugural 28-executive cohort, 2021
- Highly selective program prepares senior Black executives for service on boards of private and public companies
Bloomberg News
New Voices Media Training Program, September 2020
- Intensive media training program for female and Black executives
- Training is provided to selected participants to ensure they are able to convey their knowledge and insights to the Bloomberg audience and the broader financial/business news media
Writing
Find out more about my written work
Selected Articles and Essays
- Directors & Boards. What Directors are Thinking
- Medium. The Tyranny of the Single Opt-In Intro
- Medium. Email Templates for Dealing with Single Opt-In Intros
- Medium. So you want to be introduced to someone? Here’s the right way to do it.
- Forge. Your Donations Will Be More Impactful If You Have a Giving Strategy
- Forge. The Pomodoro Technique Can Be an Act of Resistance
Other Pieces I'm Proud of
- Bustle. I'm So Jealous You Get To Read 'Pachinko' By Min Jin Lee For The First Time
- Vox. The best $1,100 I ever spent: Driving lessons as an adult
- ZORA. Is Southern Pride Only for White People?
- Catapult. 15 Minutes with Louis Mitchell, Who Brings Sesame Street Characters to Life
Read more of my writing on Medium.
Press & Media
Thinking Inside the Box Podcast with Matt Burns / January 11, 2024
Ad Age, December 2022
Kidscreen, May 2022
ASU+GSV 2022 Summit, April 2022
Kidscreen, March 2022
Spotify For the Record, January 2022
People Magazine, January 2022
Santa Clara University, January 2021
Harvard Business School - Impact Insights Blog, January 2018
© 2023 Verdell Walker