Kaaren Whitney-Vernon is a serial entrepreneur who is interested in solving communication problems. Whether its communication between brands and consumers or employers and job seekers, she believes there is a better way to connect. She has just launched a new venture to help women in tech find inclusive companies to support their growth.

Before joining Shaftesbury as the head of the XR Department, Kaaren founded two successful companies. The first, Youth Culture Inc., a media agency specializing in helping brands to target millennials’ and working with brands like P&G, L’Oreal and Coca Cola. The second, shift2, created original short-form content for brands such as Walmart, U by Kotex®, Nokia and RBC. Today, at Shaftesbury, Kaaren charges her team to produce original content for television, film, and digital brands designed to drive revenue.

Kaaren has been quoted in BNN, Adweek, The Wall Street Journal, Globe and Mail and on CBC. She founded the North American chapter of the globally organized Branded Content Marketing Association where she was part of the conversation to bring a universally accepted measurement for branded content.

Kaaren also sits on several North American marketing advisory boards and judging panels such as Adweek’s Arc Awards and at Brand Storytelling held each year at the Sundance Film Festival. As an Executive Producer of the scripted digital series Carmilla, 100+ million views, Kaaren has been invited to speak at leading television and content markets.

Kaaren is an Official Member of the Forbes Agency Council.

Specialties: Women in Tech, Equality and Inclusion, VR, AR, Keynote Speaker, Scripted Branded Storytelling, Scripted Digital Series, Short-form content, Millennials, GenZ, Genzennials, Content Production, YouTube, Youth, Digital Series, Leadership, Publishing, Marketing, Sales, Biz Dev