Kari Yadro
Director of Custom Programs at Dark Horse Comics, Inc.- Claim this Profile
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English Native or bilingual proficiency
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Japanese Limited working proficiency
Topline Score
Bio
Micha Hershman
It was my great pleasure to work with Kari Yadro in 2010 and 2011 in her role as Events and Community Manager at Dark Horse Comics. Kari is the most energetic and enthusiastic person I've ever worked with. She is always "on", always contributing at 110% and always has a warm smile to share with her partners, employees, peers and supervisors. Her many contributions are invariably positive, forward-thinking and charged with potential. Kari conscientiously and responsibly managed over one-third of our departments annual Marketing budget. Never once did I have concerns that a penny was being spent inefficiently, inappropriately or unprofessionally. Kari inspires the kind of trust that - literally - supervisors everywhere can only dream of. I was equally impressed with Kari's commitment to her role and to the Dark Horse organization. She was always one of the first to arrive and the last to leave the office, often working late to guarantee that her responsibilities were executed in a timely fashion. She assimilates organizational culture effortlessly, adopting the jargon, style and speed of any team she works with. She never leaves a detail unplanned, as evidenced by her impeccable execution of high-value consumer conventions (New York Comic-con) and hands-on implementation of local events alike. I recommend Kari to any organization looking for a high-energy, responsible and committed Marketer. She's as good as it gets!
Lisa Lundquist
Kari's wealth of knowledge and experience in both the book and primary education worlds served as both a resource and an inspiration in my parallel work at another Barnes & Noble location. As colleagues, we collaborated often on business and marketing strategies and shared market-specific leads where appropriate. As an inductee to both the book and school arenas, I relied on Kari as a trainer, mentor, and fellow lover of books. Her passion for her authors, and literacy in general, inspired me to go above and beyond in my own job assignments. We continue today to challenge each other in strategic thinking and share a commitment to volunteering in the field of children's literacy even though I have changed careers. A self-starter and accomplished organizer, Kari is an asset to any team lucky enough to have her!
Micha Hershman
It was my great pleasure to work with Kari Yadro in 2010 and 2011 in her role as Events and Community Manager at Dark Horse Comics. Kari is the most energetic and enthusiastic person I've ever worked with. She is always "on", always contributing at 110% and always has a warm smile to share with her partners, employees, peers and supervisors. Her many contributions are invariably positive, forward-thinking and charged with potential. Kari conscientiously and responsibly managed over one-third of our departments annual Marketing budget. Never once did I have concerns that a penny was being spent inefficiently, inappropriately or unprofessionally. Kari inspires the kind of trust that - literally - supervisors everywhere can only dream of. I was equally impressed with Kari's commitment to her role and to the Dark Horse organization. She was always one of the first to arrive and the last to leave the office, often working late to guarantee that her responsibilities were executed in a timely fashion. She assimilates organizational culture effortlessly, adopting the jargon, style and speed of any team she works with. She never leaves a detail unplanned, as evidenced by her impeccable execution of high-value consumer conventions (New York Comic-con) and hands-on implementation of local events alike. I recommend Kari to any organization looking for a high-energy, responsible and committed Marketer. She's as good as it gets!
Lisa Lundquist
Kari's wealth of knowledge and experience in both the book and primary education worlds served as both a resource and an inspiration in my parallel work at another Barnes & Noble location. As colleagues, we collaborated often on business and marketing strategies and shared market-specific leads where appropriate. As an inductee to both the book and school arenas, I relied on Kari as a trainer, mentor, and fellow lover of books. Her passion for her authors, and literacy in general, inspired me to go above and beyond in my own job assignments. We continue today to challenge each other in strategic thinking and share a commitment to volunteering in the field of children's literacy even though I have changed careers. A self-starter and accomplished organizer, Kari is an asset to any team lucky enough to have her!
Micha Hershman
It was my great pleasure to work with Kari Yadro in 2010 and 2011 in her role as Events and Community Manager at Dark Horse Comics. Kari is the most energetic and enthusiastic person I've ever worked with. She is always "on", always contributing at 110% and always has a warm smile to share with her partners, employees, peers and supervisors. Her many contributions are invariably positive, forward-thinking and charged with potential. Kari conscientiously and responsibly managed over one-third of our departments annual Marketing budget. Never once did I have concerns that a penny was being spent inefficiently, inappropriately or unprofessionally. Kari inspires the kind of trust that - literally - supervisors everywhere can only dream of. I was equally impressed with Kari's commitment to her role and to the Dark Horse organization. She was always one of the first to arrive and the last to leave the office, often working late to guarantee that her responsibilities were executed in a timely fashion. She assimilates organizational culture effortlessly, adopting the jargon, style and speed of any team she works with. She never leaves a detail unplanned, as evidenced by her impeccable execution of high-value consumer conventions (New York Comic-con) and hands-on implementation of local events alike. I recommend Kari to any organization looking for a high-energy, responsible and committed Marketer. She's as good as it gets!
Lisa Lundquist
Kari's wealth of knowledge and experience in both the book and primary education worlds served as both a resource and an inspiration in my parallel work at another Barnes & Noble location. As colleagues, we collaborated often on business and marketing strategies and shared market-specific leads where appropriate. As an inductee to both the book and school arenas, I relied on Kari as a trainer, mentor, and fellow lover of books. Her passion for her authors, and literacy in general, inspired me to go above and beyond in my own job assignments. We continue today to challenge each other in strategic thinking and share a commitment to volunteering in the field of children's literacy even though I have changed careers. A self-starter and accomplished organizer, Kari is an asset to any team lucky enough to have her!
Micha Hershman
It was my great pleasure to work with Kari Yadro in 2010 and 2011 in her role as Events and Community Manager at Dark Horse Comics. Kari is the most energetic and enthusiastic person I've ever worked with. She is always "on", always contributing at 110% and always has a warm smile to share with her partners, employees, peers and supervisors. Her many contributions are invariably positive, forward-thinking and charged with potential. Kari conscientiously and responsibly managed over one-third of our departments annual Marketing budget. Never once did I have concerns that a penny was being spent inefficiently, inappropriately or unprofessionally. Kari inspires the kind of trust that - literally - supervisors everywhere can only dream of. I was equally impressed with Kari's commitment to her role and to the Dark Horse organization. She was always one of the first to arrive and the last to leave the office, often working late to guarantee that her responsibilities were executed in a timely fashion. She assimilates organizational culture effortlessly, adopting the jargon, style and speed of any team she works with. She never leaves a detail unplanned, as evidenced by her impeccable execution of high-value consumer conventions (New York Comic-con) and hands-on implementation of local events alike. I recommend Kari to any organization looking for a high-energy, responsible and committed Marketer. She's as good as it gets!
Lisa Lundquist
Kari's wealth of knowledge and experience in both the book and primary education worlds served as both a resource and an inspiration in my parallel work at another Barnes & Noble location. As colleagues, we collaborated often on business and marketing strategies and shared market-specific leads where appropriate. As an inductee to both the book and school arenas, I relied on Kari as a trainer, mentor, and fellow lover of books. Her passion for her authors, and literacy in general, inspired me to go above and beyond in my own job assignments. We continue today to challenge each other in strategic thinking and share a commitment to volunteering in the field of children's literacy even though I have changed careers. A self-starter and accomplished organizer, Kari is an asset to any team lucky enough to have her!
Experience
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Dark Horse Comics, LLC
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United States
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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100 - 200 Employee
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Director of Custom Programs
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Dark Horse Comics, LLC
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United States
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Book and Periodical Publishing
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100 - 200 Employee
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Director of Custom Programs
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May 2016 - Present
Assist clients in understanding the range of services available through Dark Horse Comics, including but not limited to developing comics, art books, and products for a range of purposes (marketing, comic/book distribution, product bundling, retailer exclusives, etc.).Responsibilities:•Ascertain client needs, supplying creative suggestions while accommodating budgetary constraints and requested timelines. •Collaborate with Dark Horse editorial, production, product development, digital publishing, and print buyer to verify resources and capacity to accomplish project goals.•Act as client intermediary at each stage through completion of project, explicating the comic creation and product development processes and associated timelines. •Maintain ongoing, long-term client relationships before, during, and after active projects.
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Director of Conventions and Events
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Sep 2010 - Apr 2016
Build national and international campaigns for key Dark Horse brands as part of the Marketing and Public Relations team, specifically overseeing strategies for conventions and events. Develop and execute engaging consumer and trade shows, directing all aspects of participation—budget, logistics, messaging, creative assets, staffing, talent, vendors, and more. Organize and provide logistical and promotional support for events at regional, national, and international comic and book retailers, libraries, and various other venues. Oversee development, design, and production of promotional materials for campaigns. Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders, managing expectations and providing solutions with a collaborative, diplomatic approach. Achievements: •Continually deliver above-and-beyond results for all trade shows and consumer events attended by Dark Horse Comics throughout the year, including Toy Fair (27K attendees, 10’x20’ booth), American Library Association Annual Conference (25K attendees, 10’x20’ booth), Comic-Con International (130K attendees, 50’x70’ booth), New York Comic Con (130K attendees, 30’x50’ booth), and more.•Expertly manage planning and logistics for Dark Horse Comics’ presence at trade shows and consumer events (budget; space and sponsorships; exhibit design; show services; shipping; staffing; talent coordination; travel and related expenses; advertising, promotion, and special activities) with an annual budget of approximately $1 million.•Earned the trust and respect of key licensors such as HBO, Nickelodeon, Dreamworks, Fox, FX, Lucasfilm, Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Square Enix, PopCap, among others, which helps in the procurement/renewal of licensing opportunities.•Trusted to coordinate events with high profile talent--including celebrated comic book creators, book authors, musicians, actors, voice actors, TV/movie directors, and video game developers, leading to exceptional sales, fan engagement, and publicity.
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Barnes & Noble, Inc.
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United States
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Retail
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700 & Above Employee
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Community Relations Manager/Regional Community Relations Training Manager
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Apr 2007 - Sep 2010
Develop and execute an effective, results-oriented community relations program to maximize sales and customer traffic through community outreach and multichannel retailing. Cultivate existing and generate new institutional and corporate accounts and manage sales presentations, negotiations, and fulfillment. Prospect and capture non-profit partners for fundraising programs, explicate program contracts, and ensure fundraiser planning, promotion, and events follow contract guidelines. Plan, coordinate, promote, and conduct high-quality, market-specific in-store and off-site events. Deliver both prepared and extemporaneous presentations for small and large groups. Track and monitor goals, sales, and expenses. Achievements:• Recognized by district manager for outstanding sales achievements and initiatives in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and currently ranked first in sales in the Puget Sound region, 120% over goal (150% with fulfillment of impending sale). • Acknowledged for consistently exceeding standards in customer service; Receive innumerable customer commendation letters and emails.• Developed reputable event program; Acquire key author events by building and maintaining strong relationships with authors, publishers (Often specifically requested by publicists.), and cross-departmental teams at Barnes & Noble and by achieving high event sales and attendance through effective merchandising, marketing, and public relations strategies.• Promoted to Community Relations Training Manager; Lead and facilitate training programs for managers in support of optimizing community relations programs in the Puget Sound Region.
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Department Manager
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Feb 2005 - Mar 2007
Responsible for department inventory, sales, organization, and merchandising. Proactively managed store operations, identifying and resolving problems to ensure the delivery of outstanding customer service and customer satisfaction. Coached and motivated booksellers to excel in their performance.Achievements:• Successfully transformed the Children’s Department into one of the cornerstones of the store through effective marketing, merchandising, event planning, and staffing.• Managed daily store operations in the place of an assistant manager who was on extended leave. Assumed store scheduling and merchandising responsibilities.• Obtained various commendations from management and staff for hard work and showing zeal in the job.
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University of Washington
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Graduate Research Assistant, Japan Studies
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Sep 2000 - Mar 2002
Provided support to professors in Japan Studies Program. Assisted in accomplishing a wide array of tasks, from copying articles in Japanese financial newspapers to transcribing recorded dialogue exercises between Japanese language learners. Provided support to professors in Japan Studies Program. Assisted in accomplishing a wide array of tasks, from copying articles in Japanese financial newspapers to transcribing recorded dialogue exercises between Japanese language learners.
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Assistant Language Teacher / Coordinator for International Relations
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Jul 1997 - Jul 2000
Revived team teaching program in two Japanese junior high schools by developing strong relationships with teachers and students, preparing teaching materials, and developing extra-curricular activities. Facilitated cultural exchange and international business development by teaching English to town employees and residents, speaking at town meetings and events, editing English business documents, and supporting international student and artist exchange programs. Revived team teaching program in two Japanese junior high schools by developing strong relationships with teachers and students, preparing teaching materials, and developing extra-curricular activities. Facilitated cultural exchange and international business development by teaching English to town employees and residents, speaking at town meetings and events, editing English business documents, and supporting international student and artist exchange programs.
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Eastern Washington University
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United States
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Higher Education
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700 & Above Employee
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Program Assistant, Office of the Vice President for University Advancement and Development
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Apr 1995 - Jun 1997
Assisted the administrative assistant for the vice president in a variety of office work as well as in planning and executing special events for donors, alumni, and community partners. Assisted the administrative assistant for the vice president in a variety of office work as well as in planning and executing special events for donors, alumni, and community partners.
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Education
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2000 - 2002
University of Washington
Master of Arts Candidate, Japan Studies -
1991 - 1996
Eastern Washington University
Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology
Community
