Brookfield Central Class of 1984

Kathleen Hogan has worked her way from Brookfield Central to her position as Executive People Officer at Microsoft.

Hogan began her Elmbrook journey at Brookfield Elementary before advancing to Wisconsin Hills and Brookfield Central. At Central, Kathleen was a Lancerette, played tennis and soccer, and was a member of the yearbook staff. During that time she also helped as a candy striper for Elmbrook Hospital and prided herself on her musky fishing skills. "Elmbrook gave me a great foundation for college, graduate school, and my career experiences," said Kathleen. "What I appreciate the most about my education at Central are my lifelong friendships, love of learning, and the confidence I acquired to take on big challenges."

Hogan's fourth grade teacher, Mr. Dedhart, encouraged her to work hard in math and placed her in an accelerated program that set her up for success in Mathematics early on. She praised her incredible math teachers throughout her time at Elmbrook, highlighting her calculus teacher Mr. Elliot. Additionally, her English teachers Ms. Keane and Ms. Knutson who taught writing foundations and critical thinking, Latin teachers Ms. Moschella and Mr. Goodwin, and the traditional STEM program offered all made an impact on Kathleen. "I am grateful to the many incredible Elmbrook teachers, coaches, and advisors that helped to support and shape me in my educational journey," said Hogan.

After graduating from Central in 1984, Hogan continued her education at Harvard University where she played soccer and had jobs teaching pre-calculus and tutoring in economics. Kathleen graduated from Harvard in 1988 with a degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics and began working for Oracle as a software developer. In 1994, she obtained her Masters Degree in Business Administration from Stanford University and became a partner with McKinsey, a strategic management consulting firm.

While at McKinsey, she worked with a client at Microsoft named Kevin Johnson, the now-CEO of Starbucks. Johnson was so impressed with Kathleen's work that he offered her a full-time position at Microsoft and she couldn't resist the opportunity. She ran the Microsoft Services organization that manages 20,000 consulting and support professionals worldwide before transitioning to her role as Executive People Officer (EVP Human Resources) in Redmond, Washington. "After nearly 15 years with the company, I am still learning new things and growing in my career. I love working with the incredible people at Microsoft," Kathleen expressed. "I am so proud to come to work with such a global and diverse set of talented individuals who are passionate about using technology to improve the world and empower people to achieve more!"

Kathleen is also actively involved in a number of organizations that are making a difference. As a breast cancer survivor, she served on the Board of Directors for the Puget Sound affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization for 8 years. Hogan also serves on the Board of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), which helps young girls cultivate an interest in technology careers.

"Growing up, my three sisters and I were lucky to have parents who provided a loving family, deep sense of belonging, love of learning, and a belief that we could do anything," she reflected. Kathleen encourages everyone to visit microsoft.com to see how they can use technology to improve and connect our world.

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