Katie Gardon
Director of Business Growth & Innovation at The Real Food Kitchen- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Hope Paterson
Katie is masterful at diving into the micro levels of business - finance, planning, HR and yet also possesses the unique skill of pulling back and being able to create productive, big picture strategies. She is a born leader and brings her honest and refreshing communication style to anything and everything she's a part of. I love working with Katie.
Hope Paterson
Katie is masterful at diving into the micro levels of business - finance, planning, HR and yet also possesses the unique skill of pulling back and being able to create productive, big picture strategies. She is a born leader and brings her honest and refreshing communication style to anything and everything she's a part of. I love working with Katie.
Hope Paterson
Katie is masterful at diving into the micro levels of business - finance, planning, HR and yet also possesses the unique skill of pulling back and being able to create productive, big picture strategies. She is a born leader and brings her honest and refreshing communication style to anything and everything she's a part of. I love working with Katie.
Hope Paterson
Katie is masterful at diving into the micro levels of business - finance, planning, HR and yet also possesses the unique skill of pulling back and being able to create productive, big picture strategies. She is a born leader and brings her honest and refreshing communication style to anything and everything she's a part of. I love working with Katie.
Experience
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The Real Food Kitchen
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Canada
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Food and Beverage Manufacturing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Director of Business Growth & Innovation
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Sep 2022 - Present
● Connect strategy, operations, current and future client needs, and product and services marketing to launch new product and service offerings. ● Work on successful launches of new products and services by developing go-to-market plans so that all cross-functional team members are ready to execute on that vision and plan of action. ● Lead the sales and marketing teams to execute these strategies and provide guidance on how to implement annual and quarterly plans. ● Connect strategy, operations, current and future client needs, and product and services marketing to launch new product and service offerings. ● Work on successful launches of new products and services by developing go-to-market plans so that all cross-functional team members are ready to execute on that vision and plan of action. ● Lead the sales and marketing teams to execute these strategies and provide guidance on how to implement annual and quarterly plans.
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Real Food For Real Kids
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Canada
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Food and Beverage Manufacturing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Director of Organizational Strategy & Culture
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May 2020 - Aug 2021
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Aspire Food Group
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Canada
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Food and Beverage Manufacturing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Vice President of Finance
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May 2018 - Jul 2019
Worked to develop financial systems and controls to prepare the organization for the commercialization of the locally consumed edible insect, palm weevil larvae. Responsibilities include cash management, budgeting, and strategic planning.
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Director of Business Development
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Sep 2017 - Apr 2018
Aspire Food Group is a social enterprise with a focus on addressing food insecurity and promoting healthier lifestyles using insects as a sustainable, wholesome source of nutrition. They are pioneering insect farming technologies designed for industrial and residential scale insect farming.
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Engineers Without Borders Canada
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Canada
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International Trade and Development
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1 - 100 Employee
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Long Term Fellow
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May 2017 - May 2018
The Long Term EWB Fellowship matches experienced professionals with innovative businesses and organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa. By providing expert consultation and support across a range of capabilities, EWB Fellows provide small and growing ventures with the essential talent required to accelerate and sustain their growth. The Long Term EWB Fellowship matches experienced professionals with innovative businesses and organizations in Sub-Saharan Africa. By providing expert consultation and support across a range of capabilities, EWB Fellows provide small and growing ventures with the essential talent required to accelerate and sustain their growth.
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Operations and Project Coordinator
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May 2017 - Aug 2017
As part of my fellowship with Engineers Without Borders I worked with Food For All, an organization trying to create efficient and sustainable means of nutrition for vulnerable populations in Ghana through advocacy for food recovery and redistribution. As part of my fellowship with Engineers Without Borders I worked with Food For All, an organization trying to create efficient and sustainable means of nutrition for vulnerable populations in Ghana through advocacy for food recovery and redistribution.
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Director of Finance, Talent & Training
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Aug 2014 - May 2017
• Worked directly with the CEO and President since 2008 to grow the start-up of 20 employees and $2M in revenue to a mature company with over 80 employees, exceeding over $9.5M in revenue in the 2016 fiscal year • Developed and implemented recruiting, onboarding, and training processes, along with performance management and compensation systems• Assisted managers and directors with HR management and issue resolution• Oversaw HR administration and payroll for 80+ employees• Succession planning and organizational design• Project managed and developed business cases for grant, subsidy, and financing applications
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Director of Finance and Administration
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Jul 2013 - Jul 2014
• Worked with CEO and President to define company mission, values, strategic vision, and competencies required to continue successful growth of company• Developed 5-year growth models to inform construction for expansion• Assisted with organizational re-design and effectively reduced payroll expenses• Defined and streamlined administrative and financial processes and procedures• Project managed Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit Applications
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Financial Manager
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Mar 2012 - Jun 2013
• Developed annual financial projection models and monthly financial reporting process• Developed client pricing schedules and negotiated pricing with childcare centre clients• Developed HR Handbook and related HR documentation• Managed bookkeeping & payroll
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Financial Coordinator
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Oct 2009 - Feb 2012
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Executive Assistant
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Jan 2008 - Sep 2009
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Ecoholic
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Retail Apparel and Fashion
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1 - 100 Employee
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Researcher
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May 2006 - Sep 2006
Ecoholic began as a weekly column on sustainable living (in NOW Magazine, weekly readership: 395,000) and successfully evolved into a series of resource guides. I was a lead researcher and fact- checker for the series’ first book, compiling a city-by-city index for eco-friendly services across Canada. Ecoholic began as a weekly column on sustainable living (in NOW Magazine, weekly readership: 395,000) and successfully evolved into a series of resource guides. I was a lead researcher and fact- checker for the series’ first book, compiling a city-by-city index for eco-friendly services across Canada.
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Education
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University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management
Master of Business Administration (MBA) -
Queen's University
Honour’s Bachelor of Arts (with Distinction), Psychology