We all have a story to tell.
My mission is life is not merely to survive, but thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.
Kristin Joy Ekkens, MA, CDE, CHPC is an award-winning cultural strategist, solutions architect, master facilitator, high performance coach, TEDx Speaker, and entrepreneur. Her passion and area of expertise is helping individuals and organizations drive culturally intelligent innovation. Following her passion, Kristin founded Exponential Inclusion LLC, where innovation and design 10x the power of inclusion!
For over 18 years, Kristin has partnered with companies around the world, large and small, to facilitate their transformational journey towards inclusion, positive culture change, and high performing leadership. Kristin is an experienced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) and Learning & Performance leader. She led an award-winning team that sparked a DEI movement, moving from words to action, in a US healthcare system. As an executive strategic advisor at Singularity University based in Silicon Valley, Kristin designed solutions and activated positive change working with top executives in global enterprises to drive scalable learning, culture transformation, innovation, and exponential mindsets. Leading the corporate partnerships division at the Cultural Intelligence Center, Kristin brought DEI thought leadership to individuals and companies providing keynotes, facilitating learning, and certifying champions in the United States and around the world.
Kristin has been recognized as a "cultural entrepreneur" and has won numerous awards and international recognition including 2017 Top Women-Owned Business finalist, 2016 Building Bridges Award by the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and 2015 40 Under Forty Business Leader from the Grand Rapids Business Journal.
Passionate about language, culture, and human connection, Kristin earned a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Michigan State University and bachelor degrees in Spanish and Linguistics from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Kristin is a Certified High Performance Coach (CHPC) through the High Performance Institute, an Accredited & Certified Master Facilitator through the Cultural Intelligence Center and a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) through the Institute for Diversity Certification. Kristin is fluent in Spanish and English and serves on the Board of the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan. Her international experience includes living in Spain, Mexico and Costa Rica, and traveling extensively throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East and New Zealand.
Her life motto comes from an African principle - Ubuntu - I am who I am because of you. Her two boys and husband remind her of that every day.
We all have a story to tell.
My mission is life is not merely to survive, but thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.
Kristin Joy Ekkens, MA, CDE, CHPC is an award-winning cultural strategist, solutions architect, master facilitator, high performance coach, TEDx Speaker, and entrepreneur. Her passion and area of expertise is helping individuals and organizations drive culturally intelligent innovation. Following her passion, Kristin founded Exponential Inclusion LLC, where innovation and design 10x the power of inclusion!
For over 18 years, Kristin has partnered with companies around the world, large and small, to facilitate their transformational journey towards inclusion, positive culture change, and high performing leadership. Kristin is an experienced Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) and Learning & Performance leader. She led an award-winning team that sparked a DEI movement, moving from words to action, in a US healthcare system. As an executive strategic advisor at Singularity University based in Silicon Valley, Kristin designed solutions and activated positive change working with top executives in global enterprises to drive scalable learning, culture transformation, innovation, and exponential mindsets. Leading the corporate partnerships division at the Cultural Intelligence Center, Kristin brought DEI thought leadership to individuals and companies providing keynotes, facilitating learning, and certifying champions in the United States and around the world.
Kristin has been recognized as a "cultural entrepreneur" and has won numerous awards and international recognition including 2017 Top Women-Owned Business finalist, 2016 Building Bridges Award by the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and 2015 40 Under Forty Business Leader from the Grand Rapids Business Journal.
Passionate about language, culture, and human connection, Kristin earned a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Michigan State University and bachelor degrees in Spanish and Linguistics from Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA. Kristin is a Certified High Performance Coach (CHPC) through the High Performance Institute, an Accredited & Certified Master Facilitator through the Cultural Intelligence Center and a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE) through the Institute for Diversity Certification. Kristin is fluent in Spanish and English and serves on the Board of the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan. Her international experience includes living in Spain, Mexico and Costa Rica, and traveling extensively throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Middle East and New Zealand.
Her life motto comes from an African principle - Ubuntu - I am who I am because of you. Her two boys and husband remind her of that every day.
