Kristine Schantz is Director of Strategy and Innovation for Global Operations and Logistics at Nike. With a lifelong passion for complementary and collaborative action to address human challenges, she joins our 2018 First Movers class with big ideas for maximizing the positive social impact of global supply chains. So what drives her as a doer and a thinker?
How do you want to grow as a professional through participating in the fellowship?
I’m inspired by the potential to bring about change from within institutions and— through the First Movers Fellowship—hope to gain new skills and approaches for doing so. I expect the most significant and sustaining personal growth to come from the opportunity to work with and learn from this new community of talented professionals.
What issue(s) do you think will decide the future of your industry?
There’s so much potential for disruption in supply chain—last mile delivery options that both reduce environmental impact and serve consumers in new ways, industry collaboration around gnarly issues to drive broader impact and sharing economy models to eloquently match supply and demand while also using our resources more efficiently—these are just a few of the opportunities before us. As one colleague recently put it: “innovation is survival.” I believe those who embrace innovation as a way of working will win the ongoing fight for relevance in the marketplace and ultimately define the future.
What do you read, watch and listen for inspiration and insights in your career?
I gain inspiration from a broad set of experiences—a walk with my dog Olive in Portland’s beautiful Forest Park for time to reflect, academic and industry research in Harvard Business Review to contextualize my professional experiences and observations, various podcasts like This American Life that help me to understand the world in new ways. I’ve attended TEDx Portland the past two years and it’s become a highlight for me—it’s a day packed with powerful ideas that both expand my perspective and reinforce my appreciation for community (this was one of my favorite talks last year). I also turn regularly to a trusted set of friends and advisers for guidance and support in my career and life more generally.
Get to know the full list of the First Movers class of 2018 here
