WIN Member Feature: Meet Kirstin Knight!
Kirstin Knight, Senior Content Editor at Informa Markets
Throughout the month, we highlight the extraordinary members who are the very foundation of Women In Nutraceuticals. Today we shine the light on Kirstin Knight, Senior Content Editor at Informa Markets for the food ingredients portfolio, with a particular focus on Vitafoods Insights.
In her current role, she produces content for the website, co-moderates webinars, and supports delivery of Informa’s in-person events – namely, Vitafoods Europe and Food ingredients Europe.
Before working as a senior editor at Informa, Kirstin worked as a journalist for the British press, and before that, in academic healthcare publishing. She was also a volunteer, and then a full-time advocate for women engaging with courts and the criminal justice system, at a women’s charity for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
While her career path may have “zigzagged” over the years, according to Kirstin, the common threads are clear, including a commitment to giving back to her community and increasing access to education, which “has guided a lot of my decisions about where I work and who for”, she said.
Knowing this, it makes sense she now works at Informa Markets! In the past, Kirstin experienced the challenging effects of being female in the male-dominated environment of newspapers, saying that “...as a young woman in the newsroom – sometimes the only one – I felt I had to fight extra hard to prove my worth and to have my views taken seriously. I learned to shrink myself to accommodate the status quo – something that takes time to unlearn.”
Regardless of past challenges with gender equity in the workplace, “I am pleased to say my current organization presents a very different experience. Although there is still work to be done, I think my organization is good at not only recognising but celebrating diverse identities. There are a lot of women in leadership roles – at least compared with other places I have worked – and plenty of LGBTQIA+ visibility. I also appreciate how younger colleagues are supported and given a voice,” said Kirstin.
“I wish more employers understood that encouraging people to bring their whole, authentic selves to work is the only way you can enable them to perform at their best,” she added.
We sat down with Kirstin to learn more about the work she does, and why she joined Women In Nutraceuticals.
What do you find most rewarding about the work you do?
I’m a big believer in increasing access to education, and that has guided a lot of my decisions about where I work and who I work for. As a journalist, you learn new things every day, which I consider to be an enormous privilege. I enjoy using my writing and editing skills to bring clarity to complex topics – and I love working at our live events!
I am very value-led in my work and try to use our platforms to shine a light on under-served subjects, whether that’s reporting on BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) startups or myth-busting around menopause. I believe I have a responsibility as a journalist to leverage my platform and my privilege, and I strive to embed that into my everyday practice.
Why did you decide to join WIN?
Moving into the nutrition industry has brought new challenges as well as opportunities, and while I knew I had my own valuable set of skills to bring to the table, I was also aware that this would be an unfamiliar environment with plenty of learning to do. Connecting with women whose experiences I can learn from has been an incredible tool.
What do you appreciate about WIN and being a WIN member?
I believe in the power of networks, especially for communities that have not been listened to historically. Visibility and collaboration are so important, and for someone relatively new to the industry, it has been rewarding to be able to speak with, and learn from, women who have taken this path before me.
