Katherine Torrini is a creativity expert, visual strategist and innovation catalyst who has brought her visual magic to the likes of NASA, Dell, Coca-Cola, KPMG, Southwest Airlines and The Institute for the Future.
Visual Storyteller & Idea Synthesizer
A life-long artist and visual journaler, Katherine has found the perfect professional niche where her superpower of “thinking outside her brain” is highly prized and sought after: Graphic Recording and Visual Facilitation. She travels the world drawing real-time, mural-sized, infographics at conferences, talks and corporate events, where these spontaneous visuals mesmerize viewers, activate creative problem solving and unlock the wisdom of the room.
Pattern Illuminator & Meaning Maker
Katherine’s ability to make the invisible visible captures themes, illuminates connections and reveals patterns, while getting stakeholders “on the same page”—literally! This leads to increased engagement, deeper conversations, more innovative solutions, accelerated decision making and authentic buy-in. Always keen to share her markers, Katherine’s visual thinking trainings empower teams to use their whole brains to think, communicate and collaborate better.
Creativity Cheerleader & Inner Critic Wrangler
In her coaching and mentoring work, Katherine supports visionary leaders to foster cultures of creativity. She also works with individuals called to self-expression as a soul path—whether in the arts and music or in heart-centered entrepreneurship. The foundation of her empowering approach is the transformation of the Inner Critic “peanut gallery” in your head into an aligned, high functioning “Inner Team”.
Inspirational Artist & Possibilites Enthusiast
Katherine sees the world as her canvas, finding beauty, delight and wonder in the most unexpected places. Her spontaneous Tiny Creative Acts make ephemeral art out of whatever is at hand–pebbles, flower petals, twigs, even paper clips! Her new large-scale acrylic Muse Paintings are both the catalysts for and the crystallization of her personal and spiritual growth. Her ever-present visual journals meticulously document her life and journey.
Education:
- Intentional Creativity Foundation Graduate, Sonoma CA, November 2017
- Leadership Graduate, Coaches Training Institute, San Rafael, CA 2013
- Certified Co-Active Coach (CPCC) Coaches Training Institute 2010 San Rafael, CA
- RSA/UCLES Certificate: Teaching English as a Second Language 1995 London, England
- UT Austin B.A. Art (National Merit scholar) Austin, TX, 1994
International from the Start
I’m the only one in my four-continent-family to have been born in the US (British father, South-African mother and Australian-born brother). I lived in over a half-a-dozen states (and 3 countries) before I graduated from high school in Vancouver, Canada (my favorite!)
All that moving around taught me to be adaptable and unafraid to walk into a room full of strangers!
Artsy too
I was the one they asked to do the drama club posters– and build the stage sets. I journaled and wrote poetry, studied French and photography as well as all the usual stuff.
One summer at NHSI, I studied RTVF and wrote, directed, and spliced together my own movies on super 8 reels (remember those?).
I could tell from an early age that my career would look more like a winding path than a highway.
Higher Ed
The jobs I do now– graphic recording and coaching–barely even existed when I was in college! Consequently, no major seemed to really fit. I tried communications and psychology while continuing art and languages (plus a humid, humbling Semester at Sea doing hands-on oceanography and sailing a three-masted schooner).In the end I majored in Art History because it was “more practical” than Art (makes sense if your dad was a Professor!)
From French and Italian, I learned that the language I was spoke changed the way I thought and saw the world. And from my Semester at Sea, I learned that the world didn’t end even if I “failed” to be the best at everything.
The Italian Connection
I’d been in love with Italian since my dad took me to the opera as a teenager. I was finally able to study abroad my final semester, so I put my worldly possessions into storage and bought a one-way ticket to Tuscany(eek!). I ended up living there for four years, becoming an ESL teacher and getting married (complete with Italian last name!)
Living and working abroad made me a life-long student of culture–whether of a country, a company, or of the “peanut gallery” inside our own heads. It also taught me to talk my way around any word I didn’t know.
Coaching Creativity
Back in the US, I spent the next few years starting a family and reconnecting to my creativity (which I had sent “into the closet” in Italy). When my youngest entered pre-school I decided it was time to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up! Drawn to coaching but not sure if I was ready, I took a friend’s advice to “get started and get ready along the way.”
I trained with the Coaches Training Institute and got certified in 2011. My specialty? Creativity, of course! I coached “Closet Creatives”, taught at The Art School of The Austin Museum of Art and led Artist’s Way groups.
I learned that living a creative life is a lot like growing a garden– well tended and nurtured plots seem to “effortlessly” bear fruit– while poorly tended ones suffer to produce small yields.
Visual Magic
I felt so lucky to have found the perfect job as a coach, I never dreamed I’d find another one! Then I happened to see someone graphic recording a talk I attended. I was spell-bound. “That’s a THING?! I need to do that thing! That’s how my brain works—I was BORN to do that thing!” I immediately volunteered to be an assistant for the graphic recorder (who became a friend and mentor) and started practicing anywhere I could, which eventually led to professional jobs.
Through my visual magic work with companies I’ve learned that people will give you their best if they feel heard, validated, supported, inspired, well led– and a part of creating something greater than themselves.
I feel so lucky that I get to draw for a living, while listening to smart people talk about interesting things. My work is always in service of the participants, so it makes my day when they let me know that my work made their work a little easier or more joyful.
Where I’m Headed…
I like to think of my corporate work as an ad-hoc MBA – as well as Jedi training for an assignment that has yet to be revealed. I have a feeling it’ll have to do with innovation, culture change and the business case for play.
On the Creative Empowerment side, I am becoming certified in the Intentional Creativity 13-step painting method that catalyses personal transformation and healing– through paint! Stay tuned….
I look forward to co-creating some magic with you!
