Kristen Grimm has extensive experience conceiving, implementing and managing strategic communications efforts. As the founder and president of Spitfire Strategies, Kristen has helped hundreds of nonprofits find communications solutions to support their efforts to create positive social change. Since starting Spitfire in 2002, Kristen has led the firm’s work with such clients as the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Open Society Institute, AARP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Audubon Society, Catalog Choice, Florida’s Department of Education, ClimateWorks, the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Human Rights First, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Monterey Bay Aquarium, the National Women’s Law Center and the National Environmental Education Foundation.

She has conducted messaging work for AARP, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation around children’s health coverage, Pre-K for All and the Pew Charitable Trusts young voter work. She has served as strategic communications counsel guiding positioning and implementation work for the Defenders of Wildlife for their Endangered Species Act efforts, Human Rights First, the Ms. Foundation and First Focus.

Kristen has also helped numerous nonprofits and foundations build their own capacity to conduct high-impact communications efforts. At Spitfire, she has created and led strategic communications trainings for clients including the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Communications Leadership Institute, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Open Society Institute.

She is a frequent and highly rated presenter, speaking before gatherings for the Council on Foundations, Independent Sector, the Aspen Institute, the Rockwood Leadership Institute, the Audubon Society, the Communications Network, Environmental Grantmakers, Colorado Trust, Center for Policy Alternatives and New Philanthropy West, among others.

Kristen has written numerous publications for the field including the Smart Chart 3.0, Discovering the Activation Point, Breaking Through to Great and the Just Enough Planning Guide.

Prior to Spitfire, she was a fellow at the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), where she worked to ban landmines, reform the death penalty and criminal justice systems and reduce the threat of nuclear war.

Before her fellowship, Kristen was the president and chief operating officer of Fenton Communications where she oversaw a professional staff of 65 while managing client accounts including The Justice Project, Align Technology, World Wildlife Fund, the Aspen Institute, NRDC and Youth Service America. While at Fenton, she wrote NOW HEAR THIS: The Nine Laws of Successful Advocacy Communications. In 1999, she won the Silver Anvil for her work on SeaWeb’s ‘Give Swordfish a Break’ campaign, which successfully mobilized hundreds of chefs across the country to stop serving swordfish until the U.S. government adopted a sustainable fisheries management plan.
Prior to Fenton, Kristen was a senior account executive with Millennium Communications Group where her clients included The Benton Foundation, California Nurses Association, Public Allies and Rock the Vote.

In 2002, Grimm founded the Communications Leadership Institute, a nonprofit that aims to increase the effectiveness of nonprofit leaders’ strategic communications skills and capacity.

Kristen has a B.A. from Smith College. She currently serves on the boards of Grist and the Future of Music Coalition.