
Kristen Brown
5.0
(1)
Studied at EZRA Coaching Academy
Works at Root & Rise LLC
Available Tuesday at 1:00 PM UTC
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About Kristen
Kristen Brown is an executive coach and former global human resources leader who is passionate about helping professionals and leaders grow their careers with clarity and confidence. Over the course of her career, Kristen held executive leadership roles at Cisco, UKG, and ULTA Beauty, where she helped organizations scale and succeed by building world-class talent teams and leading global workforce strategies. She specializes in helping leaders navigate career growth, leadership transitions, and important professional decisions with intention and confidence. Kristen holds an MBA from Simmons College and continues to pursue executive education to deepen her expertise in leadership and organizational development. She also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Carroll County YMCA and previously served on the Sterling Infosystems Customer Advisory Board. Kristen lives in Massachusetts with her husband and their goldendoodle, Millie. They have two adult daughters and enjoy spending time together whenever they can. One of Kristen’s favorite places is the lake, where she finds the peaceful setting grounding and energizing—a balance she also brings to her coaching work.
Why do I coach?
Throughout my career in human resources and talent strategy, I had the privilege of helping organizations hire the people who would fuel their growth and success. But what I found most meaningful was working directly with individuals—helping them land their dream roles, navigate career decisions, and step confidently into new opportunities. Over time, I realized that the conversations I valued most were the ones where someone gained clarity about what they truly wanted and the confidence to pursue it. That realization led me to coaching. Today, I work with leaders and professionals who want to grow their impact, navigate transitions, and make thoughtful, intentional choices about their careers. My approach combines strategic insight from decades of executive experience with practical guidance that helps clients move forward with confidence. I believe everyone has untapped potential. My role as a coach is to help you see new possibilities, clarify what matters most, and take meaningful steps toward the career and life you want to create.
Work Experience

Principal / Coach
Root & Rise LLC
January 2025 - Present
Root & Rise LLC is a coaching and consulting firm that provides grounded guidance to individuals and organizations ready to grow. We partner with leaders and teams to build clarity, alignment, and sustainable success—helping people rise with purpose.
Head of Global Talent Acquisition (Engineering)
Cisco
April 2022 - November 2025
Interviewer
Lead talent acquisition strategy and execution for Cisco’s global engineering team, including development and implementation of Cisco’s first AI recruitment strategy. Lead a best in class sourcing and insights team that identifies, pipelines and cultivates Cisco’s future talent and provides talent intelligence and analysis globally.
Vice President Talent Acquisition
UKG
November 2011 - April 2022
Interviewer
Lead global recruitment strategy, including early in career, professional and executive hiring.

Advisory Board Member
Sterling Talent Solutions
July 2014 - March 2022
Served on Sterling's Customer Advisory Board, guiding company strategy from a customer perspective.
Director, Talent Acquisition
Ulta Beauty
February 2007 - July 2011
Education
EZRA Coaching Academy
Certification, Coaching
2025 - 2025
Simmons College
MBA, Business
2003 - 2005
University of New Hampshire, Durham
Bachelor's degree, Business Administration
1987 - 1991
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