As part of our ‘Getting to Know’ series of blogs, we’re talking to key members of the LEO Learning family so you can get to know them a bit better. Today we’re talking to Kristina Wiltsee, the VP of Operations based in Atlanta, GA, in the US.
Let’s meet Kristina.
Describe Your Role at Leo Learning.
My role is to make sure that the US LEO Learning team has what they need to succeed. This means that I am in charge of US account management, sales, strategy, and operations. On any given day, I’m interviewing to expand the team, consulting on amazing learning solutions for clients, or helping support my team to deliver a great service to our clients.
Which Part of Working at Leo Learning Do You Love Most?
I laugh every day. We take learning really seriously, but the process of making the learning needs to be enjoyable in order to get the best out of both my team and the clients. We need to love what we do! What better way to do that than to laugh, and create great work.
What’s Your Proudest Accomplishment?
Successfully integrating the US team into the processes and institutional framework of the LEO Learning home office in Brighton in the UK. What I love about working with both teams is that we get the depth of resources and good learning experience based on 30 years of experience that the UK office provides, but the energy and continuously improving mindset of the smaller, agile organization that I run in the US. There were more than a few times where we had to tell our colleagues overseas that we use ‘Custom’ instead of ‘Bespoke’ or that Program, doesn’t have ‘me’ at the end, but those conversations always lead to a good-hearted laugh (see above).
What’s the Biggest Challenge You’ve Overcome?
One of the greatest and most enjoyable challenges that I have overcome has been conveying the differences in the US and UK markets to make sure that we’re serving our clients here in the way that works for them. Sometimes those nuances are difficult to pinpoint and even more difficult to provide evidence for. It’s been a long road, but so worth it. I am so excited about the unique services the US offices can provide our clients that are catering to exactly what they need.
My greatest personal challenge harkens back to a time when my husband and I were building our own 1200 sq ft house. I was heavily pregnant and I needed a bathroom, so I vividly remember getting down on the floor and tiling an entire bathroom so that I could soak in a tub at the end of the night. I felt that for a couple of days after that, but was hugely proud.
What Are the Three Things You Can’t Work Without?
- A good walk outside every day
- Music – work is the only place that sappy pop is my go-to
- Smart-working colleagues
As a Kid What Did You Want to Be When You Grew Up?
A doctor, so much so that I didn’t know that any other profession existed. I ended up becoming an herbalist after I stood in a room full of cadavers and got weirded out. I even went all the way through a pre-med program. It was actually through herbalism that I realized how much I loved teaching people about how to take care of themselves, which led me down the long and winding road to LEO Learning.