Kendra Stearns Drozd

Lois/EJL

Account Executive

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Kraft Foods

Senior Associate Brand Manager

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Bloom, Gross & Associates

Executive Recruiter

Chicago, Illinois, United States

New Trier Township High School

Glencoe, Illinois, United States

Williams College

B.A., English with concentration in Art History and Psychology

Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management

M.B.A., Management

Evanston, Illinois, United States

Kendra Stearns Drozd: Leading With Heart and Purpose - CEOWORLD magazine

From advertising executive to trusted recruiter and mentor, Kendra Stearns Drozd's career followed a human path through advertising, brand management, recruiting, motherhood, and community service. Today, her story stands out because it reflects a kind of leadership that is steady, relationship-driven, and deeply personal, centered on understanding what motivates people and helping them feel seen.

I've always been most interested in people. Whether it was marketing, recruiting, or volunteer work, I loved understanding what motivates people and how to help them feel seen.

Kendra Stearns Drozd Advocates for Greater Emotional Support During Life Crises

Bluffton, South Carolina resident Kendra Stearns Drozd is encouraging communities to prioritize emotional support, active listening, and human connection for people facing grief, illness, infertility, and major life challenges. A former advertising executive and commissioned Stephen Minister since 2012, she provides confidential one-on-one support to people dealing with grief, illness, divorce, loneliness, and personal crises.

People are carrying so much privately. Sometimes what they need most is not someone trying to fix them. They need someone willing to sit with them, listen to them, and walk beside them without judgment.

Kendra Stearns Drozd on the Career Advantage of Understanding People

From brand marketing to recruiting and community leadership, Kendra Stearns Drozd built her career around understanding human behavior rather than industries. Her professional journey spanned advertising, consumer marketing at Kraft Foods, and executive recruiting, all unified by a curiosity about what motivates people and helps them move forward.

I've always been curious about people. What motivates them, what they care about, and what helps them move forward. That curiosity has shaped almost everything I've done.

Kendra Stearns Drozd | REVERB

Kendra Stearns Drozd's professional background includes advertising, consumer packaged goods marketing at Kraft Foods, executive recruiting at Bloom, Gross & Associates, and community service. Today, much of her focus is on family, volunteer leadership, and serving as a commissioned Stephen Minister, where she provides emotional and spiritual support to individuals facing difficult life circumstances.

The common thread has always been understanding people. In advertising, I needed to understand consumers. At Kraft, I needed to understand customer behavior. In recruiting, I needed to understand candidates and employers. As a Stephen Minister, I need to understand what someone is experiencing and how to support them.

Kendra Stearns Drozd Raises Awareness About the Growing Impact of Loneliness and Social Isolation

Kendra Stearns Drozd is raising awareness about loneliness and social isolation, citing research showing that loneliness increases the risk of premature death by nearly 30% and that nearly 1 in 5 adults frequently feel lonely or disconnected. As a commissioned Stephen Minister, she emphasizes the importance of emotional support, consistency, and presence in healing.

Kendra Stearns Drozd - ideamensch

Kendra Stearns Drozd has always believed that the strongest relationships are built through listening, trust, and showing up for others. From her career in marketing and recruiting to her years of community service and motherhood, she developed a love for tennis, played varsity at Williams College, worked in Chicago advertising and at Kraft Foods, and has served as a commissioned Stephen Minister since 2012.

I've learned that being productive isn't about packing as much as possible into a day. It's about giving my full attention to whatever I'm doing.

What Does Success Look Like to You? – Kendra Stearns Drozd - Industry Elites

Kendra Stearns Drozd believes success isn't measured by a job title or résumé but by how you've treated people. Over the years, she built a career in advertising, brand management at Kraft Foods, and executive recruiting, while also raising a family and serving as a commissioned Stephen Minister since 2012, walking alongside people facing life's greatest challenges.

Today, success is much quieter. It's about knowing I spent my time on things that actually mattered.