Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
BRANDING STATEMENT
Generic

Cassandra M. Drinkard

Flossmoor,IL

Summary

Dynamic marketing and analytics professional with over 10 years of experience in category management, market insights, and vendor collaboration within the CPG and foodservice sectors. Demonstrated success in driving innovation, optimizing product distribution, and leveraging data to inform multimillion-dollar decisions. A strong insights-driven approach consistently enhances sales strategies, marketing initiatives, and digital analytics efforts. Eager to contribute expertise to organizations seeking to elevate market presence and achieve strategic growth.

Overview

24
24
years of professional experience

Work History

Caregiver

Professional Sabbatical for Caregiving
10.2022 - Current
  • Undertook caregiving responsibilities while maintaining professional development and community involvement:
  • Conducted AI-enabled survey research for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Toastmasters, applying Excel automation and statistical tools to analyze engagement data.
  • Delivered stakeholder-ready reporting that supported program planning and member engagement.
  • Strengthened technical capabilities in marketing analytics, AI tools, and data storytelling.

Associate Manager, Analytics & Reporting

Kellogg’s, Away From Home Channel
09.2019 - 09.2022
  • Delivered 7–8% price increases by automating KPI dashboards and pricing tools across channels.
  • Identified opportunity trends (e.g., Salty Snacks Early Morning +5%) using Circana, Mintel, and Nielsen.
  • Oversaw $3.3M insights budget and managed vendor partnerships for cost-effective research.
  • Collaboratively drove portfolio innovation, product launches, and enhancements by identifying and capitalizing on target market(s), pricing, and social trends.
  • Collaborated with Agile teams to define user story acceptance criteria and validate functionality across iterative test cycles.
  • Directed external vendor relationships to align testing delivery, QA standards, and reporting accuracy with internal business goals.
  • Oversaw data validation and testing procedures to maintain reporting accuracy, reduce error rates, and enhance business confidence in analytics tools.
  • Collaborated with strategy and multicultural marketing teams, driving 20% increase in multicultural brand awareness over two years.
  • Developed the Away From Home segment structure utilizing the Landmark-Occasion Day-Part analysis (e.g., Kellogg’s Salty Snacks - Early Morning Bites, up +5%, Afternoon Snacking, up +4%).

Associate Manager, Category Management

Kellogg’s, Away From Home Channel
12.2017 - 08.2019
  • Executed 20+ category reviews and developed reporting templates for key customer reviews.
  • Drove 4.4% and 3.2% sales increases as category captain for 7-Eleven and Circle K.
  • Collaborated with sales and brokers to grow snacking item sales by 22%.

Senior Planning Analyst

Mondelez International
04.2013 - 03.2016
  • Supported 28% sales growth in Convenience Channel during tenure.
  • Managed demand planning for over 500,000 shippers and coordinated POS reporting.
  • Coordinated communication and projects between corporate point-of-sale team, channel marketing business unit, Crossmark Broker, and convenience channel retail sales for plan-o-grams, promotional activities, forecasting, and sales reports.
  • Maintained Cognos site administration for the Convenience channel.
  • Analyzed field requests for incremental trade funding against margins, sales lifts, incremental sales, ROI, and base programming.

Category Specialist

Mondelez International
11.2012 - 03.2013
  • Created plan-o-grams and data presentations leading to 100% client implementation.
  • Secured $3M opportunity with Hudson News by leveraging Rich Mix analytics.

Associate Manager, Customer Marketing / Sales Analyst

Cadbury
09.2001 - 11.2012
  • Supported Target, Kmart, and Walgreens accounts with annual business plans, templates, and insights.
  • Led category review and assisted in negotiation strategies, totaling +$44MM increase in Target business and driving a 3.0% increase in Kmart’s cough drop category.
  • Developed quarterly program analyses using POS, panel, and scan data across key accounts.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Marketing

Roosevelt University
Chicago, IL

Diversity and Inclusion Certification -

Cornell University
Ithaca, NY

Skills

  • Market & Consumer Insights
  • Category & Strategic Planning
  • Category Management
  • CRM & Customer Engagement
  • Budget & Vendor Management
  • Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Quantitative & Qualitative Research
  • AI Tools & Automation
  • Data-Driven Decision-Making
  • Data & Analytics: Nielsen, Panel Data, Numerator, Mintel, Circana, Datassential
  • Category & Space Planning: JDA, Richmix
  • CRM & Tools: Salesforce, Microsoft Office
  • Research & Insights: Technomics, Spectra, Kantar, IFMA, QuestionPro
  • AI & Automation Tools: ChatGPT, Copilot, Midjourney
  • Staff training and development
  • Results analysis
  • Public speaking

Timeline

Caregiver

Professional Sabbatical for Caregiving
10.2022 - Current

Associate Manager, Analytics & Reporting

Kellogg’s, Away From Home Channel
09.2019 - 09.2022

Associate Manager, Category Management

Kellogg’s, Away From Home Channel
12.2017 - 08.2019

Senior Planning Analyst

Mondelez International
04.2013 - 03.2016

Category Specialist

Mondelez International
11.2012 - 03.2013

Associate Manager, Customer Marketing / Sales Analyst

Cadbury
09.2001 - 11.2012

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration, Marketing

Roosevelt University

Diversity and Inclusion Certification -

Cornell University

BRANDING STATEMENT

Insights-driven marketing strategist with a passion for turning consumer and market data into actionable strategies that fuel growth, innovation, and customer engagement. Recognized for cross-functional leadership, vendor collaboration, and a proactive approach to analytics in the CPG and foodservice sectors. Committed to using data and innovation to drive results in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace.

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