Kate Walters
About Kate Walters
Kate Walters serves as the Vice President and General Manager of USA Today Play, overseeing its product portfolio and leading a multidisciplinary team to enhance audience engagement and revenue. With a background in product management and consulting, she has held various leadership roles at Gannett and other organizations, and she holds degrees from prestigious universities including an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.
Current Role at USA Today Play
Kate Walters serves as the Vice President and General Manager of USA Today Play, a position she has held since 2023. In this role, she oversees the USA Today Play product portfolio, which includes the USA Today Crossword and various other games. She is responsible for defining the strategic vision and high-level milestones aimed at growing audience engagement and revenue. Walters leads a multidisciplinary team that encompasses product management, design, analytics, marketing, and development to execute this vision.
Previous Experience at Gannett
Before her current role, Walters worked at Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK in several capacities. From 2018 to 2023, she served as Vice President of Subscription Product Management, focusing on enhancing subscription offerings. Prior to that, she was the Senior Director of Product Management from 2015 to 2018, where she contributed to product strategy and development. Her tenure at Gannett spanned a total of eight years, during which she played a significant role in product management and audience growth.
Consulting Background
Walters began her career at Navigant Consulting, where she worked as a Consultant from 2003 to 2005. This early experience provided her with foundational skills in analysis and strategic planning, which she later applied in her roles at Gannett and other organizations. Her consulting background contributed to her ability to define strategic visions and manage complex projects.
Educational Qualifications
Walters holds an MBA from The Johns Hopkins University, which she completed from 2006 to 2009. She also studied Strategic Management and International Finance at the University of Oxford for 11 months in 2002. Additionally, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance and a minor in Art History from Georgetown University, where she studied from 1999 to 2003. Her educational background equips her with a strong foundation in business and finance.
Leadership and Management Skills
In her current role, Walters manages the profit and loss (P&L) for USA Today Play, guiding the business to achieve its revenue and profit targets. She emphasizes creating the best user experience for the audience of USA Today Play. Her leadership style involves collaboration across various teams to ensure that strategic goals are met and that the product offerings are aligned with audience needs.