Kurt Merriweather, CDE®

Kurt Merriweather, CDE®, has a diverse and extensive work experience spanning over two decades. Kurt most recently served as the Co-Founder of Products and Innovation at The Diversity Movement since January 2020. Prior to that, they worked as an Advisor at Creative Allies starting from March 2018.

From April 2016 to the present, Kurt held the position of Principal at Cedar Fork Partners, where they specialized in helping companies explore and understand complex marketplaces, particularly in digital media, education, and digital health. Kurt guided companies through market analysis, customer discovery, fundraising approaches, marketing strategies, and business development initiatives.

Between November 2016 and March 2018, Kurt served as the Head of Strategy at Walk West and later transitioned to become the VP of Strategy and Transformation from March 2018 to September 2020. At Walk West, they played a key role in developing and executing strategic plans to drive growth and transformation for the company.

Kurt's previous experience includes working as the Chief Product Officer at ReverbNation. From January 2015 to April 2016, they led a team of product managers, marketing managers, music programmers, and business intelligence analysts in managing music discovery products and services. Kurt also held roles as the SVP and GM of Artist Platforms and the SVP and GM of Industry Services at ReverbNation.

Prior to joining ReverbNation, Kurt worked at Discovery Communications from January 2007 to April 2013. During their tenure, they held various roles, including Director of Digital Strategy and Emerging Business Development, where they focused on identifying and incubating opportunities to delight Discovery audiences across platforms. Kurt also served as the Director of Digital Media Business Development, overseeing online, mobile/tablet, and social media partnerships.

Before their time at Discovery Communications, Kurt worked as a Business Director at AOL from May 2004 to December 2006, where they managed the business operations for AOL's premium music service, AOL Music Now. Kurt also held the position of Senior Product Marketing Manager at Cable & Wireless from May 2001 to 2004, focusing on marketing efforts for security, hosting, and content delivery services. Prior to that, they were a Senior Product Manager at Digital Island from May 2000 to May 2001, managing marketing efforts with service providers to reduce network costs and increase content delivery revenue. Kurt began their career at SGI as a Senior Product Manager from July 1997 to May 2000, where they directed product marketing and management activities for video serving in the entertainment and media markets.

Overall, Kurt Merriweather's work experience showcases a strong track record of strategic leadership, business development, and product management across diverse industries and market sectors.

Kurt Merriweather, CDE®, holds an MBA in Strategy from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Prior to that, they completed a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering with a Computer Option at The Ohio State University. Additionally, Kurt has obtained a certification in YouTube Audience Growth from the institution of YouTube.