Julie Kness

Julie Kness brings a wealth of strategic communications experience to clients who are seeking change management and culture building expertise. From mergers and acquisitions to innovation methodology and internal branding, her work has focused on creating a clear line of sight between individual efforts and organizational goals.

Julie is particularly adept at tailoring messages to meet the unique needs of various stakeholders and equipping leaders with the skills and tools to convey the implications of marketplace dynamics on business performance. She expertly translates strategic imperatives into clear, actionable steps while anticipating – and delivering – necessary support to employees in times of ambiguity.

Prior to joining Gagen MacDonald, Julie built the internal communication function for Aurora Healthcare’s integrated health care delivery system with 25,000 employees. She helped develop the external branding strategy, including the identification of proof points and communication to help employees understand and consistently deliver on the brand promise. She also led the internal branding and alignment of the employee value proposition for the organization. Before that, she facilitated the acquisition of a staff model HMO, including the continued employment of more than 1,200 professional and support staff.

Julie is also a skilled facilitator and trainer with particular emphasis on innovation tools and approaches, whole scale change and John Kotter’s eight-step change model.

Her clients include Edison International, Baxter International and a global consumer products company.

Education:
Western Michigan University, B.A., Political Science