Kathleen Brenk
Chief People Officer, Sunrise Banks
“At Sunrise Banks, we truly are where values and money meet. We are who we say we are, and we do what we say we will do.”
Connect with Kathleen on LinkedInAbout Kathleen
As Chief People Officer, Kathleen Brenk leads multiple teams at Sunrise Banks, including Human Resources; Marketing/Communications; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI); Learning and Administration. She says these teams connect the dots between the customer experience and the employee experience.
“We need to ensure our team members have great workplace experiences so they can deliver on the brand promise we make to our customers,” Kathleen says. “That means providing partnership and expertise with each of these teams.”
Before joining Sunrise Banks in 2023, Kathleen was a senior human resources leader for a building products manufacturer. She also helped start Careerwise Colorado, a youth apprenticeship nonprofit.
Embracing Core Values
“Being a force for good means we think about who we are before we take action,” Kathleen says. “We engage in the community both as a bank and as individuals. We consider all our values when making decisions.”
Kathleen says she is most proud of the work to advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusion and to add a learning organization at Sunrise Banks. “Those areas are newer and embody our core values,” she says.
Kathleen says the core value that resonates with her most is Respects All. “I am really at my best when I sit still and listen with a truly open mind,” she says. “I can then respond in a thoughtful way. Division and gossip cannot move things forward, so I love that we spell out allyship and inclusion.”