Karen “KC” Crabtree, APR
Karen “KC” Crabtree is the director of public and analyst relations for Kinaxis, a supply chain management and sales and operations planning software company based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She is responsible for managing the company’s external reputation and brand communications strategy, as well as developing media and analyst relations plans.
Crabtree was previously the global public relations senior manager for Bluetooth SIG, the standards organization for Bluetooth technology. Named as the first in-house PR leader in April 2019, she led media and analyst relations and managed PR agencies in EMEA, APAC and North America.
Crabtree has more than 20 years of experience in corporate communications in technology and Fortune 100 aerospace and defense companies, defining meaningful communications strategies and managing cross-functional teams.
Prior to working for Bluetooth SIG, she led communications for Seattle-based Boeing’s newest airplane, the 777X, during development, responsible for issues management and providing communications counsel to the multi-million-dollar program executive team. As the Product Strategy communications leader, she led the 737 MAX product launch.
As media relations manager at Honeywell Aerospace in Phoenix, Arizona, she was responsible for developing a media strategy to position the $12 billion company as an industry leader in aircraft safety and technology. Prior roles included executive communications for the CIO, CFO and Chief Legal Counsel, and leading change management communication initiatives.
Crabtree was also the senior publications editor at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona, responsible for the employee communications newspaper re-brand and launch. Her work was awarded platinum and silver honors from the League of Communications Professionals and twice received a Cactus Quill award from the International Association of Business Communicators Tucson chapter.
A former newspaper and magazine journalist, Crabtree won Arizona Associated Press awards for directing breaking news and team coverage of a mass shooting.
Crabtree previously served as the 2021 PRSA Puget Sound Chapter Programs Committee Chair and received the 2021 President’s Award for Volunteerism.
She has degrees in English literature and journalism from Seattle Pacific University and a certificate in Global Leadership from Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.