Katherine Bruno
Kat Bruno is a performance-driven leader with a decade of experience in fast-paced individual contributor roles, primarily within the SaaS and consulting industries. As a top 10% sales performer, she has a proven track record of scaling out new GTM products, enabling rapidly growing teams, delivering consistent results, and has a knack for navigating complex commercial sales cycles often with C-Suite executives. Currently serving as Strategic Enterprise Account Executive at Quorum, Kat helps Government Affairs and advocacy teams work smarter and move faster by mapping, tracking, changing, and reporting on the policy landscape. She has also held senior roles at organizations like BlueVoyant, ISS Corporate Solutions, and Gartner where she specialized in corporate compliance, third party risk management, and sustainability topics advising executives in Northern America and Canada on their mission-critical priorities. She is also an active member of Women in Government Relations (WGR), an all-female inspirational leadership group.
Kat's expertise lies in developing meaningful relationships with prospective buyers and influencers, and delivering insightful information to address pressing business challenges. She consistently demonstrates strong interpersonal and organizational skills, and her collaborative nature makers her a valued team member and leader.
Beyond her professional achievements, Kat is an avid self-starter who enjoys a variety of personal passions that enrich her life. In her free time, she can be found traveling, gardening, baking, and cooking. She also has a love for DIY house projects and cherishes spending time with her new Australian Shepherd, Kona.
As an alumni of Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business (Class of 2015), she holds a triple major in marketing, management, and international business—and studied abroad in Barcelona. From leadership mentoring to community advocacy and a commitment to growth, Kat embodies resilience, innovation, and intention in everything she does. Her diverse interests showcase a well-rounded and dedicated personality, both in and out of the workplace.
• Indiana University Bloomington, BS Marketing, Management, International Business
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to my father. He has engrained in me a self-starter and performance-driven mindset, enabling me to focus on delivering consistent results. Once I commit to something, I am full throttle. I also attribute my success to my former and current colleagues. Their constructive feedback and brainstorming sessions are invaluable as I look to 'how can I be better?' and 'what's next?'. Success requires a village and I make sure my village is filled with people who are like-minded, hard-working, and have a positive mindset. Being surrounded by other successful people drives me to be even better.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Control what you can control. In this day and age, anxiety rides high. The political landscape is chaotic, the economy is unstable, increased social and cultural pressures, heightened global climate/environmental crises; the list goes on. Our environment plays a big role in our professional and personal development and while everyone can have an impact, you can still only control what you can control. I received this advice while at Gartner and I continue to repeat this phrase to myself almost on a weekly basis whenever I get overwhelmed or feel unsure. My anxiety could be worse if it wasn't for this advice and support.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I have three pieces of advice: 1) Find mentors and build a support network - These people will provide you helpful, actionable advice, open doors to new opportunities, and offer support on challenging days. 2) Master the art of building relationships - While sales is often competitive, relationship building is a powerful tool. Mastering your interpersonal skills to connect with colleagues, clients, prospects on a deeper level will gain you their trust, which will be your greatest asset in navigating complex deals. 3) Always be positive - The most successful people are tenacious and see every "no" as a step closer to a "yes". Embrace the drive.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The rapid advancement of technology itself presents its own set of challenges. A prime example of this is AI. The lack of regulation surrounding this theme along with concerns over bias, data privacy, inaccurate information, etc. are causing the demand and usage of AI to decrease, while the supply and quantity of AI technology is exploding. There's a large challenge associated with this, but also a massive opportunity - especially within the government affairs space.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Values that are most important to me in my work and personal life largely overlap; they are: 1) Integrity - helps build trust and authenticity 2) Respect - essential for building positive relationships & valueing differing perspectives regardless of someone's background or position. This also plays into accountability and being a dependable colleague/friend. 3) Curiosity - always be willing and open to change. 4) Balance - I greatly value a healthy mental state and work-life balance. The better you are as a person, the better you can help others around you.