Katrina’s expertise spans multiple disciplines and industries, including finance, media, healthcare, and technology. She is a Goodwill Ambassador, a serial entrepreneur, an investor, a recognized branding and marketing expert, a philanthropist, and a spokesperson. She has served in multiple executive level and other leadership roles directly or through consulting work, and has developed an extensive global network of relationships with some of the world’s leading private, corporate, government, financial, and non-profit institutions. Katrina holds every engagement in the highest professional regard: she is devoted, thorough, detail-oriented, well organized, a self-starter, and a closer. She seeks to boost efficiencies while saving resources without compromising quality, and her breadth of knowledge provides her with a great opportunity to see the big picture.
Katrina has assisted a number of venture accelerators and funds with a wide span of functions and engagements, including having served as an entrepreneur-in-residence, provided services for the portfolio companies, including serving as a board member and filling in vacant c-level positions, performed due diligence, business advisory, portfolio companies’ oversight, team building, creation of strategic partnerships, sales, marketing and branding strategy development and deployment, all aspects of fundraising, M&A and contract negotiations, among other responsibilities. She has participated in projects that helped bridge governments and the private sector, including formations of Public-Private-Partnerships worldwide, Government-to-Government and Government-to-Private alliances, market optimization and new market expansion. Katrina has also participated in various aspects of large signature private and PPP projects, including master planning, tendering process, finance, project management, construction, FF&E, and other procurement and logistics services, including real estate development such as Emirates Palace in the UAE and the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi built as a luxury hotel-hospital. Katrina started her professional career in the security and defense industries, in the areas of surveillance, executive protection, communication security, and anti-industrial espionage, in addition to designing technology, and supervising multi-platform projects across the globe for private, corporate, and government clients (100+ projects in 30+ countries).
Some of Katrina’s past experiences include: Co-founder and Entrepreneur-in-Residence for Aurora Forge Venture Studio and Managing Director of Aurora Forge Venture Fund, both focused on healthcare and health tech start-ups; CEO of World Technology Group, an AI/ML technology company that developed self-optimizing dynamic AI/ML platform with a deep expertise in Fintech (built trading software for multi-billion multi-manager hedge funds); Chairman (formerly CEO) of RoyalBlue Holdings/Sultan RoyalBlue, a security and defense consortium headquartered in the United Arab Emirates with offices in the Middle East, Europe and the US; Founding Partner of Crescent Green Energy Fund, a closed-end fund which invested in alternative/renewable powergen infrastructure projects in South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East; Entrepreneur-in-residence and special corporate development advisor for Aspire Ventures; Chairman of Tatry Capital, an investment company focused on enabling and empowering innovation through the development of disruptive technologies; Founder and Chairman of Why Not Entertainment, a full service production and marketing company as well as a developer of health and fitness products, including Elite Forces Rapid Readiness workout series (eliteforces.us) executive-produced by and starring Katrina; Founder and COO of Charmed Technology, one of the earliest wireless wearable technology companies built to revolutionize the way people and communities connect; VP of Investor Relations of S2COM (LEO satellite company); and an analyst for First Commercial Venture Capital firm.
As a branding and marketing expert, one of Katrina’s top achievements is successful creation of a global movement to popularize wearable and mobile technology, transforming it from geek to chic and ushering in the digital transformation age. She assembled a stellar production team, and through partnership with Penton Media (sold in 2016 for $1.56 billion) produced Internet World technology extravaganzas in major cities across 5 continents seen by over half a million attendees. She raised millions of dollars in non-dilutive start-up capital through sponsorship sales from major global brands such as Microsoft, Motorola, IBM, and Red Herring. She personally generated over $400 million in PR placements for the movement and several hundreds of millions for sponsors and partners. Katrina has completed over 600 interviews in TV, print, radio and other media globally, including: 48 hours, NBC, CNBC, CNN, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, BBC, Extra!, E! Entertainment, Sky TV, as well as hundreds of internationally syndicated programs and publications. She was featured in USA Today, Wired magazine’s “Must Read” Section, Los Angeles Times “Lifestyle” section, and was listed in Entertainment Weekly’s “100 Most Creative People in Entertainment” list. She has produced and starred in international runway-style fashion extravaganzas featuring the newest advances in wearable technology including: New York (72,000 attendees), Los Angeles (50,000 attendees), Paris (20,000 attendees), London (35,000 attendees), Sydney (30,000 attendees), Hong Kong (25,000 attendees), Berlin, Beijing, Tel Aviv, Singapore, and more.
Katrina is a passionate philanthropist, and also likes to take on active roles, including serving as a board member. She enjoys developing venture philanthropy and sustainable charity sectors, and assists philanthropic entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations in the development and formation of unique structures, collaborations, and opportunities. Some of her current and past involvements include: Founder & CEO of Humble Alliance L3C, a for-profit/non-profit hybrid that serves as a cruelty-free, environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions catalyst; Co-Founder and board member (formerly Executive Director) of True Pals Animal Welfare Society, Inc. a non-profit organization focused on fostering great stewardship and improving the health and well-being of animals, people and the environment; Co-founder of Global Growth Partners, a venture philanthropy/positive impact enterprise; a member of Philanthropy Roundtable, a national association of individual donors, foundation trustees and corporate giving officers, an organization dedicated to helping its members achieve their charitable objectives; a senior associate of the Foresight Institute, a non-profit organization focused on an open-source movement and nanotechnology developments with the goal of guiding emerging technologies to improve the human condition; an advisor to Jacob’s Ladder Neurodevelopmental Center and Ahava Lives which together provide education and care for children with neurodevelopmental and learning challenges, such as autism, PDD, ADHD, Down Syndrome, and others via venture philanthropy structure; a mentor to financially disadvantaged but academically exceptionally gifted children at South Central Gifted Scholars Fund; a founder and Chairman of World Fitness Organization focused on supporting health, sports & fitness initiatives; Co-Founder and title sponsor of a hockey team, Elite Forces, a multi-champion in the semi-professional league whose goal is to enhance sports and fitness activities in the region as well as providing young talent with continuous opportunities to develop their skills and experience in preparation to being selected for a professional career in sports; a volunteer at a number of charitable organizations including animal shelters and rescues; Katrina also supports other charitable and philanthropic projects and initiatives in health, education, environmental improvement, and other areas.