Spotlight: Carol Kim

This month I have the privilege of shining a spotlight on a wonderful, funny and somewhat famous friend, Carol Kim .? I met Carol about a year ago when we both participated in the first DIY Influence bootcamp.? She has the best sense of humor and is always up for a challenge.? In addition, she is incredibly knowledgeable about healthcare policy, politics and inequities in the system that need to be addressed.? I have learned so much from her over this past year and am happy to help you discover her brilliance.

After 10 years at a Fortune 100 healthcare company where you moved from Corporate Communications to Government Relations to Strategic Alliances and Business Development, you now started Shasta Advisory LLC working with CEOs and startup founders and companies. Can you share about your career journey to this point?

I had an extraordinary tenure as a corporate leader, far exceeding any expectations from the time I successfully transitioned from the public sector to private. I got to work on big initiatives from building and scaling a $170M impact investment portfolio to repositioning a community resource center to better connect people to health coverage and social services. What I have come to understand about my strengths is that I am a strategist and an effective builder- a builder of partnerships, teams, and operational playbooks. From my years of being entrusted by CEOs and elected officials to turn their ideas into reality, I am excited to work with mission-driven, startup teams looking to drive change and impact. Through Shasta Advisory, I can bring my hands-on experiences and expertise to founders and leaders who require strategic guidance through the “gray areas”, operational support, and collaborative partnerships.

Did you always know that you wanted to be involved in public policy, more specifically healthcare policy? I see that you received your undergraduate degree in English. Was there ever a time where you thought about leveraging your degree to do something differently, say screen writing or journalism?

I started college as an English major hoping to break into broadcast journalism. I had a fateful summer in Washington, D.C. with two college internships, one was at a local ABC news affiliated TV station and the other on Capitol Hill for a congressional member. After that summer, I knew I wanted to work on solving societal issues not simply report on them. I guess this was my early “fail” in that I did not use my undergrad degree for journalism.

I went on to pursue my Master’s in Public Policy at the University of Michigan and upon graduating, I went to D.C. to start my policy career. After a few years, I returned to LA where I continued my public service. This time, I was hired as a policy advisor to then-LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky. Working for Los Angeles County, the nation’s second largest municipality with an operating budget of about $24 billion at the time, was my greatest teacher of policies, politics, and people. That was ground-zero on all policy, operational, and fiscal matters of health, mental health, and public health services impacting 10 million residents- one-third of the state’s population. I did not have domain expertise in healthcare back then, but I was hired for my strategic thinking, relationship building, and decisive problem-solving skills- crucial abilities in solving what I call “hard human problems.” This theme of being hired for talent, potential, and transferable skills continued when I pivoted from the public sector to private when I worked in a different part of healthcare, the insurance/payer side.

My own journey across corporate, government, and social impact sectors taught me that careers are about leveraging your domain expertise, skills, and experiences to partner with perceptive leaders who recognize and value top talent beyond degrees.

Your LinkedIn posts cover a variety of topics from politics to the importance of representation, to hanging out at a concert and being recognized by one of your followers. What is your favorite post and picture so far? Why is this your favorite?

My LinkedIn posts are inspired and written by the moment, and probably explains why I cover topics like policy, business, social impact, career pivots, and personal experiences. One standout post was in 2023 about my journey as a recovering corporate executive, embarking on an uncharted path in the tech/startup ecosystem. I shared honestly about getting off the corporate hamster wheel, finding community at On Deck at that time, and working through my doubts and overcoming feelings of being old and irrelevant as I was learning a new space. It was surprising to learn the post resonated with people and even inspired one person to make a career pivot after reading it. I got a DM one morning from the person saying: “Thank you for your inspiration and recommendation at a pivotal time in my life…” It was a reminder of the impact you can make in sharing your own experiences and learnings with others. But my favorite post has yet to be written, so stay tuned.

What is the one thing that we do not know about you that you wish that we did?

No matter the role I take on officially- whether as a trusted policy advisor, corporate executive, or board member- I am a champion for communities, causes, and change. At this stage in my career, I am more intentional than ever in working with mission-driven organizations and bringing more muscle to values-aligned leaders and teams. I love rolling up my sleeves and doing the hard work towards achieving a vision, especially a vision to help improve people’s lives. And it is why I continue to work at the intersection of business, innovation, and social impact.

Is there anything that you would do over again if you had the opportunity to turn back time?

There are countless moments I wish I could do over again. But I also know that everything in my past- both good and not so good- brought me to where I am today. And the past few years I have been on an unlearning journey. Part of the journey has been untethering my identity and personal brand from my job, title, or company. I wish I had started this journey earlier in my life and career.

Be sure to follow Carol Kim if you do not already do so to learn more from her here on LinkedIn!