Sparkle & Sass
Consulting
People, Culture & Employee
Engagement Experts

Testimonials
The positive impact of Kate, and her ability to influence and shape organizational culture at scale, cannot be understated! During her time leading Amazon's Mental Health & Wellbeing Affinity Group, Kate exemplified leadership. So much personality shone in her communications that employees around the world felt a sense of connection to her, even if they never had the chance to speak 1:1 with her! Kate capably drove global initiatives and generated true excitement for the programs she championed. She is a true model of empathetic leadership and a role model when it comes to building psychologically safe, inclusive work environments.
Caitlin Quarrington, Global People & Culture Leader – Amazon Web Services
Kate is a true powerhouse of organization, energy, and customer obsession. I had the pleasure of working with her at Amazon's Amapalooza event, a comprehensive conference that combines personal and professional development along with Amazon's Got Talent, an employee talent show that is both popular and motivational. Kate did so much work organizing the event, finding hundreds of volunteers, acquiring speakers, managing logistics, MCing sessions, and coordinating both on- and off-site events. She did so with the poise and grace of an expert, which she truly is. I would trust Kate with the details of the largest, most important event I can envision. Her passion, dependability, and enthusiasm make her world class.
Charis Loveland, Emotional Intelligence Program Manager – Amazon
I have worked with Kate on a number of assignments with particular focus on HR placements. I have found her to be trustworthy and very personable with the ability to grasp the key fundamentals of a role and also the company culture. Kate is results oriented whilst managing to form excellent working relationships with her clients. I would not hesitate in recommending Kate to both employers and potential clients.
Louise Clarke, HR Director – Gordon Ramsey Holdings
I had recently seen Kate's profile on linked in and decided to contact her to work on a role we were finding particularly difficult to fill. Kate was extremely personable from the outfit and was a pleasure to work with. She understood exactly what we were looking for and presented us with an excellent selection of candidates, one of which, I am delighted to report has been successful and will be joining out team next month. It is a pleasure to work with someone who understands the market, is quick to react and works with the utmost integrity. I look forward to working with Kate again. Thanks Kate for all your help, totally outstanding.
Mairead Buckly, VP Human Resource - NICE CX One
If you are seeking a leader who can drive an idea from creation through development to implementation, Kate will knock it out of the park! During her leadership of the Mental Health and Well-being group at Amazon she reached thousands of employees with high quality, impactful programming, driving employee engagement, and supporting exponential growth of chapters. She championed the work, personally speaking at countless of company events while making 1:1 connections with members from around the world. Kate is a true innovator of employee engagement programs.
Anna Ettin, Employee Resource Group & Engagement Leader – Amazon
Leader of change is the phrase that comes to mind when I think about Kate. I worked with Kate on multiple projects that supported the community and improved the employee experience for Amazon. Kate is the person that you want on your team if you want to move the needle and launch strong and epic programs.
I was amazed and humbled to work with someone who ran such large programs and yet managed to deliver results and show continuous improvement. Her curiosity, attention to detail and passion to deliver meaningful programs is outstanding. Kate would be an asset to any team.
Natalia Oblitas, Sr Program Manager – AWS Digital Marketing
Kate is a first class example of what a talent manager should be. You knew your talent requirements were in good hands with Kate. She kept you updated and offered advice/suggestions on possible candidates but also planned the process from start to finish. This was a great time saver in a busy environment.
Cheryl Douglas, Sr Global Director, Media Research - Cision
Kate was an absolute star in recruiting managers and staff members. As Head of HR she was also very helpful in providing day to day support and designed and implemented a capability matrix which allowed us to better assess our management team and provide a structured guideline for staff evaluation and career progression. On a personal note, Kate was very cool to work with, understood the business needs and got along well with the team.
Maurice Tilberg, Operations Manager – Big Easy UK
I was lucky enough to work with Kate as she nurtured and tended to the global Mental Health and Wellbeing Affinity Group at Amazon. Kate's dedication and drive helped to catapult growth of the affinity group from a scrappy team to a group with chapters spanning the globe and over 40k members. She also created the platform of events that supports awareness and commitment for mental health. I watched, with a certain amount of awe, as Kate accomplished enormous tasks and events. Kate has the highest bias for action I've ever experienced and she is able to manage programs and projects that would bring your average program manager to her knees. She is graceful, holds her ground, and has a level of earned confidence that makes her a positive and unstoppable forward force. Kate is one of those rare individuals who makes a true difference. She cares deeply about her work and the cause behind her work. I hope to one day have the pleasure of working with Kate again.
Siska Treacy, Sr Manager, Global Mental Health & Well-Being – Intuit
Kate is a world-class program leader. She is customer-obsessed, focused on operational excellence, & instrumental in uniting teams. Kate routinely identifies & resolves the needs of the organization at scale, & she can inspire thousands of people with her vision. At Amazon Kate spearheaded numerous impactful initiatives, including her creation & leadership of a mental health affinity group which became a beacon of hope for thousands of employees around the world. It is rare to come across someone with both the interest & the ability to truly change the world. Kate achieved global impact in her role at Amazon with her emphasis on gaining stakeholder buy-in on her proposed strategy & her skill in executing this strategy.
Andrea Silva, Sr Product Manager - Amazon
In 2021 I received the gift of meeting, working, partnering, and learning from Kate Ball while she worked incessantly to provide awareness, education, and support to our organization about mental health and wellbeing, neurodiversity, diversity, inclusion, equity, and fairness. Kate Ball taught me it was okay to tell our stories without fear, even if previous experiences silenced them. Every day, I looked forward to her posts, messages, and encouragement that brightened my days. So, Kate knew what our souls needed to feel embraced, heal, or find peace. Every gesture or present was meaningful and thoughtful.
Kate Ball, I cannot express enough how much you positively impacted my life at work.
Ana G Rindhal, Investigative Attorney and HR Professional - Amazon
I had the pleasure of working with Kate to build the EU Last Mile Transport Operations Center in 2016. Kate partners with the business to set up a process that leads to success. Not only did she source the right candidates for the management team, she went above and beyond expectations setting up a process to ensure the front line associates we onboarded were of the highest caliber. Her leadership and support has enabled us to build a team of 125 people strong in just under 8 months who are today a vital support function to Amazon Logistics teams across Europe.
Heather Wolyniec, Sr Manager – Amazon EU
Kate puts her work first at all times and is fully dedicated to any task until perfection. Furthermore, Kate exhibits an enormous talent in organizing, planning and executing company events and was constantly able to impress.
Katja Gomer, Director Strategic Accounts – Expedia Group
I've had the distinct pleasure of witnessing Kate's exceptional organizational abilities and passion in action, particularly when she pioneered and executed the first ever global talent show for Amazon employees. Over three seasons, Kate displayed her dedication, foresight, and tenacity by singlehandedly running the event with unparalleled professionalism. What impressed me even more was her knack for fostering collaborations. Kate adeptly partnered with multiple companies and programs to ensure the talent show was not just an event, but an experience for all participants and attendees. It was a tremendous success, both in terms of participation and impact on our work environment. The talent show infused fun, energy, and camaraderie, creating a more vibrant workplace. I wholeheartedly endorse her for any endeavor she chooses to pursue, as she has proven time and again that she can turn visions into palpable successes.
Vaidyanathan Pk, Sr Software Development Engineer – Amazon

I had the pleasure of working with Kate as my mentor for three years. When I started working with her I was struggling to assert myself with senior leaders and influence beyond my immediate sphere. Kate guided me towards success. Her coaching and support enabled me to achieve a promotion within just 6 months.
In the past 3 years Kate has provided invaluable guidance and mentorship. One of the projects we partnered on was developing a comprehensive year-round training program that emphasized better collaboration and cohesion between hiring managers and recruiting, taught hiring best practices, and how to remove unconscious biases to better support diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through this experience, I learned how to educate and communicate with senior leaders across all levels of the organization, while developing my own skills in training program development and presenting to a large group of key stakeholders. Kate's mentorship empowered me and dramatically increased my confidence in my abilities.
Working closely with Kate helped me to think more strategically, see around corners before issues arise, and develop scalable programs with global reach. Furthermore, Kate's guidance and mentorship in navigating the complexities of live events were critical in developing my ability to troubleshoot on the spot while remaining calm under pressure. Her ongoing support and mentorship have been critical to my continued growth and development as a professional, and I am deeply grateful for her continued guidance.
Kate is the epitome of professionalism with exceptional communication skills in both public speaking and written forms. She possesses a unique blend of strategic thinking and foresight, using data to influence and educate others while identifying potential roadblocks. Kate is a gifted innovator who creates employee-focused programs that drive company culture and employee satisfaction, including programs that ultimately benefit society at large. Her passion for mentoring and leadership is evident in her desire to help others succeed. She is a consistent top performer who sets a high bar for those around her.
In short, Kate is a consumer professional, an exceptional mentor, and a strategic leader who will undoubtedly bring tremendous value to any organization. I wholeheartedly recommend her without reservation.
GinaMarie Villani, Sr Recruiter – Amazon