How Creating Clarity, Opportunity, and Inclusivity Has Defined This Intentional Leader <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kathleen Lockhart never set out to lead an 80-person team managing the commercial negotiations behind Zayo\u2019s North American business. In fact, when she first encountered Zayo at a college career fair, it was the only booth without a line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s really all it was,\u201d she laughs. \u201cBut it turned out to be kismet.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That chance encounter led to an internship mapping acquired fiber networks\u2014a fitting start for a math and geography major with a knack for systems thinking. Since then, Kathleen has steadily climbed the ranks at Zayo, moving from fiber engineering to product management to VP of Deal Management \u2013 a role she helped build from the ground up \u2013 and eventually into her new position as SVP of Deal Management where she now oversees the commercial levers tied to customer revenue from beginning to end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, Kathleen oversees Zayo\u2019s commercial pricing, bid responses, revenue retention, and written proposals across North America. Her organization includes deal management, pricing strategy, revenue retention, reporting & analytics, and what she affectionately calls her \u201ccreative writers\u201d\u2014the RFP response team. \u201cEverything that empowers sales to position a solution to a customer\u2026 my team touches all of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her new position gives her touchpoints to new areas of the business, allows her to pull new strategic levers, and gives her insight into a more holistic view of customer revenue from beginning to end. Kathleen shares, \u201cI plan to tackle this new role as I have everything else \u2013 by partnering transparently with my team on strategies, unsticking problems where they arise, and helping team members grow to face the ever-changing industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nI didn\u2019t always know what I wanted to do. I just knew I liked solving problems and making things better.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Her journey to playing such a critical role at Zayo hasn\u2019t been linear and she owns that. \u201cI didn\u2019t always know what I wanted to do,\u201d she says. \u201cI just knew I liked solving problems and making things better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That mindset led her to pursue an MBA while working full-time at Zayo, a move that unlocked new opportunities. It was during a company reorganization that Kathleen raised her hand to build out the newly defined Deal Management function. \u201cIt was hands down the highlight of my career: getting to define the culture, the processes, the team dynamics from scratch.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Voice For Others Who Don\u2019t Yet Have One<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Being intentional is a defining characteristic of Kathleen\u2019s leadership style. From the language she uses to advocate for her team to the way she mentors employees at all levels, she\u2019s deliberate about creating clarity, opportunity, and inclusivity. \u201cWhat I say and how I show up matters, especially as a woman in leadership. I take that responsibility seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early in her career, Kathleen resisted being defined by her gender. \u201cI didn\u2019t want to be known as a great female<\/em> leader. I just wanted to be known as great.\u201d But over time, she began to understand the importance of using her platform. \u201cI realized I could be a voice for others who don\u2019t yet have one. I now see it as an obligation to speak up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kathleen is also a passionate advocate for performance-based growth. \u201cWhen change happens\u2014and at Zayo, it always does\u2014it creates opportunity. If you\u2019re great at your job, people will find a place for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Full Life of Giving Back<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Outside of work, Kathleen stays just as engaged. She serves on a nonprofit board, Teach by Tech, and is an advisor in residence for Greenhouse Scholars, mentors first-generation college students, and supports her MBA alumni network. Her other full-time role? Mom to a vibrant toddler. \u201cShe\u2019s sassy, spunky, smart, and absolutely the light of my life,\u201d says Kathleen. \u201cExperiencing the world through her eyes has given everything a new meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether she\u2019s hiking the foothills west of Denver, playing ukulele, or coaching emerging leaders, Kathleen brings a sense of curiosity, humility, and intentionality to everything she does. And after nearly a decade at Zayo, she\u2019s still energized by what lies ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cChange is constant here, and I love that. It keeps me growing, and that\u2019s what I want, for me and for my team.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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