Kristin Cochrane, Artsci’94, had a life-changing moment in 1994 in the Queen’s Career Services office. She was researching career options when she picked up a trade magazine and saw an article about a two-week course in Banff for people who wanted to get into the publishing industry.
She didn’t grow up dreaming about being an author, but she loved reading books, so she signed up for the workshop. There, she met publishing executives which led to a job in Toronto. Twenty-five years later, she is the CEO of Penguin Random House Canada and is the “most powerful person in Canadian publishing,” according to the Globe and Mail.
Now, after more than two decades away from Queen’s, she feels it is time to start giving back to the university that gave her so much. Recently, she spoke at Life After ArtSci: Alumni Networking Summit. Last October she was the keynote speaker at the Ban Righ Foundation Inspiring Women celebration.
“I always imagined as an alumna I would have a high level of engagement because I was so involved with Queen’s when I was at the school,” says Ms. Cochrane, who participated in a number of activities through the Arts & Science Undergraduate Society (ASUS). “Time moves quickly. I woke up and 20 years had gone by and hadn’t done anything. I went back for my class reunion, and that sparked my motivation to get reconnected.
“Queen’s has given so much to me, and I feel incredibly grateful for the university shaping my interests and passions.”
The Life After Artsci event, organized by ASUS, addressed a topic important to Ms. Cochrane: the value of an arts degree. She works in an industry filled with many successful liberal arts graduates who learned skills such as writing and critical thinking.
“I am passionate about the value of an arts education, and that message does not get out there as loudly as it could,” says Ms. Cochrane. “I am someone who has been able to rise and lead a successful business in Canada that is an arts business. So I feel the obligation to wave that flag a bit.”
She tries not to veer into politics, but recent events such as the election of Donald Trump and the #MeToo movement have made Ms. Cochrane more aware of the need to speak up. The current climate makes her motivated to help and inspire other women by attending events such as last year’s Ban Righ Foundation Inspiring Woman celebration.
“Because I am in this position, it is important to use my ability to be a role model and sponsor women’s careers whenever possible” says Ms. Cochrane. “I am saying yes more often to talks so I can get in front of people and share my own story.”
