HYPE Presents: 35 Under 35 — Rachel Gonzalez

HYPE (Hungry Young Professionals Engaging) is an ERG based at our Lousiville, Kentucky campus. Earlier this year, they launched their 35 under 35 campaign which aims to highlight 35 young professionals from now until the end of the year who are making a difference in our company and practicing allyship. Learn more about Rachel, Manager of National & Performance Media for KFC US, below:

What is a recent achievement you wish to share?

We've worked very hard this past year to establish a more modern and relevant brand, especially within our digital channels. We've made big strides with representing the brand in areas like social, email, and app and it's been amazing to see our work pay off these last few months. Whether it's modernizing our approach to digital creative, launching a campaign to drive downloads of the new App, or a great piece of influencer content that takes off on TikTok - we've had wins both big and small across KFC media.

How are you an ally/practicing allyship for an underrepresented community?

I have the privilege to serve as the Co-Lead of Yum! Unite, the Diverse Employee BRG on the Louisville campus. It has been a great opportunity to be a servant leader and to be able to represent the diverse employees that contribute to our campus. Over this past year, we've been able to roll out affinity groups for under-represented employees to have a space to connect outside of a BRG setting. Formalizing and recognizing the need for these groups is a key step in our path forward as an inclusive organization.

What's a company/organization you think is making an impact for growth and good?

A non-profit organization that is very close to my heart is El Valor, or, "The Brave" in Spanish. El Valor is based in Chicago and provides bilingual services to children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. My home state of Illinois has some of the lowest funding for people with disabilities so organizations like El Valor are crucial to providing services in some of the most underserved areas in the Chicagoland area. They are an amazing organization and I encourage anyone to check them out!

What is your career aspiration/goal? Do you have a "dream position"?

My career aspirations are still all over the place! I would love to work abroad and understand nuances of different global markets. Ultimately, I see myself as a Chief Brand Officer and use my varied experiences in media, data & analytics, and multicultural planning to drive brand growth in an ever-changing marketing environment.

What is your favorite menu item from any of our (Yum!) brands?

The KFC Spicy Chicken Sandwich, hands down…..Followed closely by the Taco Bell Rolled Chicken Tacos