Representative appearances

• Stripe. OpenAI. Thrive Capital. One Woman Behind It All

  Yeah, Kitika Shankaran didn't get the memo. She started out as an engineer but over time she pivoted into marketing and not just any marketing roles. She became the first marketing hire at two of the most influential tech companies of our time, Stripe and OpenAI. At Stripe, she spent over 8 years building the marketing function from the ground up. No team, no playbook, just a strong product and a lot of figuring it out along the way. From developer marketing to product launches to brand, she did it all. Then came OpenAI again the first marketing hire. This time helping shape how chat GPT was introduced to developers, enterprises, and everyday users. From if you've ever used OpenAI's API or visited the website, Tatika likely had a hand in how it was positioned. Today she's a Thrive Capital working with early stage startups to help them get their marketing right from day one. What's inspiring about Kita's journey isn't just the big names on her resume. It's it's how she's navigated change from engineering to marketing to leadership with curiosity, adaptability, and a willingness to build from scratch. In a world where many of us are rethinking what growth looks like, her story is a reminder the most impactful career moves often aren't obvious at the start.