Karen Gallagher
Andover,MA
Summary
Visionary, results-driven senior leader with extensive experience in innovative and disruptive product development and go-to-market execution. Known for cultivating a culture of creativity in marketing and sales execution and cross-functional collaboration within and outside the organization that drives brand success and measurable market growth. Passionate about mentoring the growth of junior employees and team members. Experienced in mentoring MBA students and guiding career pathing while making professional connections for these students as they pursue career goals.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
MBA Student Mentor
Northeastern University
Boston, MA
09.2024 - Current
- Mentor MBA candidates in Northeastern full-time MBA program (2024-current).
- Create personal career contacts and connections based on student interest. Discuss career goals and pathway options to achieve.
- Meet on regular basis with MBA mentees to discuss progress against goals and connections. Have helped secure desired Co-op experiences through professional network.
- Speak at Northeastern MBA student events on Professional Panels as requested, facilitating interactive discussions to promote critical thinking and collaboration amongst students.
Senior Director
Jacobs Douwe Egberts, USA
Maynard, MA
12.2022 - 02.2024
- Led cross-functional teams (Amsterdam engineering teams for product and pods; finance; consumer insights and creative) to implement disruptive innovation initiative, developing and launching the first premium single-serve coffee and espresso system in the US.
- Developed and executed go-to-market strategy including: messaging; identifying consumer target audiences; TV, digital and social media tactics.
- Developed and executed with VP of Sales, Key Account goals and metrics for Years 1-3.
- Secured budgets and investments for "A" level launch with US/Amsterdam CEO/CFO leaders.
- Analyzed market trends to develop product innovation roadmap to optimize offerings designed for US consumer base.
- Cultivated a culture of innovation by promoting creative thinking and encouraging employees to take calculated risks in pursuit of solutions.
- Established key partnerships with suppliers, negotiating contracts that improved service delivery timelines.
- Developed strong relationships with key industry partners, fostering collaboration and mutual growth opportunities.
- Year 1 launched on-time with excellence; Year 2 exceeded all Annual Objectives by +20%.
Director of Marketing, Americas
IRobot Corporation
Bedford, MA
05.2018 - 12.2021
- Developed integrated marketing campaigns to enhance brand visibility and customer/consumer engagement.
- Optimized innovative new product go-to-market strategies and processes to ensure on-time launches with delivery excellence to consistently ensure #1 selling consumer brand.
- Worked in tandum with sales to optimize individual Key Account sell-in stories with market and consumer trends, ensuring strong ROI propositions for product assortment at each Key Account.
- Developed Key Account in-store and on-line merchandising strategies and executed accordingly based on store footprints and set sizes.
- Created highly successful and impactful field merchandising team to monitor, service and optimize in-store product placement, assortment and incremental display space during key selling seasons.
- Spearheaded with VP Legal a first-ever pricing program to ensure no low cost pricing action by retailers and "fair trade" policy.
- Created unique selling opportunities and messaging during COVID, turning around a forecasted 20% sales decline to a ~+50% YOY rate of sales. General premise: No need for an expensive housekeeper when you can simply have an iRobot in your home whenever and wherever you need to clean given all your big and little ones are at home!
Vice President Marketing & Operations
Sage Tonic (Start-Up)
Andover, MA
08.2017 - 05.2018
- Led start-up marketing and operational strategy with minimal funding to drive consumer awareness and retail placement for health based tea brand, launched by a renowned Mass General physician.
- Developed unique go-to-market digital strategy with the founding doctor, who developed brand awareness by hosting monthly webinars on health benefits from the formation of natural ingredient tea vs. medication. Gained attention and first retail placements in Whole Foods as a direct result.
- Secured placement of founding doctor at formidable NYC trade show as a Highlight speaker on the unique health benefits of tea vs. medication leading to significant exposure in 3 major trade publications in the health food and wellness arena. Gained o-line retail access at health food chain as a direct result.
- Worked directly with supplier to lengthen product expiration dates to protect existing and new inventory and minimize inventory write-off.
- Created all sell-in materials and unique brand story of "Dr. inspired" and reputable tea options that delivered specific health benefits for various maladies and served as alternatives to medication.
Vice President, Household Products
SharkNinja
Needham, MA
09.2015 - 04.2017
- Led strategic initiatives to enhance product development processes and increase market competitiveness.
- Directed cross-functional teams to drive innovation in appliance design and functionality. Created first-ever motorized Vegetable Spiralizer.
- Collaborated with marketing teams to align product development with consumer insights and trends.
- Collaborated with Consumer Insights to ensure early and ongoing real-time consumer design input and product usage experience and leveraged feedback to ensure a product would never launch without a 4+ star rating.
- Compiled Key Account presentations with data showcasing the business growth opportunity by adding new product offerings to our overall product portfolio.
- Led all pricing recommendations and net incremental product contribution to portfolio.
- Led portfolio optimization recommendations including product lifecycle roadmap (discontinuations, product enhancements, new product development and launch timing).
- Led new product roadmap strategy to optimize ROI on R&D investments and engineering priorities.
Vice President, New Product Development
Keurig Green Mountain
Burlington, MA
11.2010 - 08.2015
- Led strategic initiatives to enhance product innovation and market positioning, including the development of Keurig's flagship 2.0 product line-up. Developed 3 range product line in 12 months vs. standard of 24+ months.
- Led hand-selected small team of marketing, engineering, project management, consumer insights and finance to achieve timeframe against development goal. Set daily War Room agenda to ensure highest degree of cross-functional approaches and problem-solving.
- Point person for weekly Leadership check-ins on progress (CEO, CFO, COO, Lead Counsel).
- Ran point with VP Insights to identify potential consumer wins/concerns and strategies to address ahead of launch.
- Led go-to-market strategy and led each Key Account presentation as to value add of K2.0 to the Keurig portfolio (incremental $, consumer loyalty to brand, enhancement to competitive positioning as #1 brand).
- At launch asked by CEO to present K2.0 case study to company-wide audience to showcase how innovation is a key component of competitive differentiation, category leadership and creation of unique consumer propositions. Showcased mindset, organizational approach and KPI development and how the K2.0 model created long-term revenue growth trajectory for company and retailers alike setting new benchmark for all new product development going forward.
Senior Director, Innovation White Space Technology
The Gillette Company/Procter & Gamble
Boston, MA
12.1991 - 10.2010
- Led cross-functional teams to develop and implement strategic initiatives enhancing product innovation. Worked directing with R&D and Engineering to create and launch first-ever battery powered razor (Mach 3 Power) delivering closest, smoothest and most comfortable shave for men. Leveraged Mach 3 blade technology to minimize technology investment and maximize ROI and new system. Unexpectedly became an "A" launch based on consumer input throughout development process with bigger adoption potential than first envisioned.
- Created unique, first-ever go-to-market launch that included a teaser TV campaign and a 24 hour launch that gained a record 75%+ ACV overnight at retail shelves. Leveraged with operations every available truck in America to execute and hired every merchandiser across markets to set shelves immediately as product arrived in-store.
- Spearheaded market analysis efforts to identify emerging trends, informing long-term business strategies. Collaborated with Bain Consulting to create world-wide Business Case for Female Grooming and gained management alignment to begin commercial development of first-ever At-Home Female Laser Hair Removal Device.
- Led Technical partnership with Medical Laser Hair Removal company and internal R&D, including Braun physicists, to begin technical development of at-home laser hair removal device within cost parameters set for device and commercial KPIS for use, storage, size and design.
- Collaborated directly with Consumer Insights to lead innovative world-wide consumer research efforts to understand female hair removal attitudes and routines for all body parts. Identified new, first-ever differentiated insights for Gillette/P&G for hair removal pertaining to body parts, regions of the world and ethnicities.
- Led clinical trial approach and execution and presented findings to gain clearance with the FDA in Washington, D.C. with legal and technical teams.
- Presented quarterly to Gillette/P&G Senior Leadership teams on progress against critical quarterly objectives and milestones. Strong results against goals ensured ongoing funding for the program for 5 years.
- Small, beauty-like design of device ensured acceptance world-wide with target audience. Led efforts with external Product Design agency to achieve.
- Target retail price not achieved due to depth of technology requirements, however project received highest recognition award for "Innovation Breakthrough" within the collective organization, showcasing multi-disciplinary learnings for approach to New Business Development.
- Significant experience with increasing levels of responsibility for all aspects of Commercial Execution within all divisions of Gillette from 1992-2004 before significant promotion to the Global Business Unit in Grooming. Responsible for sell-in to Key Accounts, setting retail placement KPIs including secondary placement, Business and Life-Cycle analysis, marketing spend and execution, budget management and bottom line contribution. Recognized for Marketing Leadership as well as Excellent Sales Collaboration by many members of Gillette Leadership teams within the various divisions.
Education
Master of Science - Marketing
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts, MA05-1985
Bachelor of Arts -
Emmanuel College
Boston, MA05-1985
Skills
- Executive Strategist
- Disruptive Innovation Expertise
- Sales Management Collaborator
- New Product Development Leader
- Global Business Analysis
- Budget Creation/Management
- Consumer Insights Guru
- Passionate Team Leader
- Mentor to Young Business Leaders
Languages
English
Timeline
MBA Student Mentor
Northeastern University
09.2024 - Current
Senior Director
Jacobs Douwe Egberts, USA
12.2022 - 02.2024
Director of Marketing, Americas
IRobot Corporation
05.2018 - 12.2021
Vice President Marketing & Operations
Sage Tonic (Start-Up)
08.2017 - 05.2018
Vice President, Household Products
SharkNinja
09.2015 - 04.2017
Vice President, New Product Development
Keurig Green Mountain
11.2010 - 08.2015
Senior Director, Innovation White Space Technology
The Gillette Company/Procter & Gamble
12.1991 - 10.2010
Master of Science - Marketing
Northeastern University
Bachelor of Arts -
Emmanuel College