Switching career lanes: How Kat went from fraud specialist to senior creative producer

I joined Amazon 11 years ago. I think people are always surprised to hear that I started as a fraud specialist, which is quite different from what I’m doing now.

I've gone from fraud specialist to program manager, and now I’m a senior creative producer. I think a lot of companies don’t allow that kind of flexibility. At Amazon, you really aren’t pigeonholed. That’s unique, and it’s what has kept me here for so long. My journey has even been international—I relocated from London to Los Angeles a few weeks ago—which shows just how flexible Amazon can be with career growth. Every few years, I feel like I’m on a new work adventure.

It’s thanks to the Leadership Principles, like Ownership and Earn Trust, which really guided me through making those shifts. At Amazon, if you show you’re capable, people are willing to let you explore new areas. Having honest career conversations about what I wanted for my career has also been crucial. When I expressed interest in working in the US back in 2022, my manager was incredibly supportive. When an opportunity finally arose to move to Los Angeles, I was prepared to take that leap, even though it meant learning new skills—and because I’d been so up front about my ambitions, my manager supported me all the way.

I'm currently working in the Advertising Creative Services organization within display and video advertising. After four years in Advertising Creative Services for Audio Ads in London, where I launched interactive Branded Experiences with Alexa, I’ve now shifted my focus to visual storytelling. My role centers on working on partner requests that require unique creative solutions for advertising placements. Creative solutions can be Brand Stores, Video Landing Pages, On-Packing Advertising, and many more, and partners can be our internal Amazon teams or external advertisers. I’m also responsible for amplifying the work of our Display Creative Services team, a group of design specialists who deliver a wide range of impactful creative. I do this by developing case studies that demonstrate our capabilities to advertisers and internal stakeholders. Some of these studies are used for client pitches; others can be published on our Amazon Ads website or shown at events.

We’re constantly evolving. In advertising, we’re encouraged to think big and experiment. I always tell my team, “There are no crazy ideas,” because something out of the box might just become the next big thing. By the end of my time with Alexa voice in branded experiences, we were adding video and even working with actors and celebrity voices.

I always tell people that the Leadership Principles, like Ownership, apply not just to how you do your job but also to your career. If there’s something you want to create or change in your role, there’s an opportunity to do it. Amazon gives you the freedom to explore your interests and make shifts when you feel it’s the right time.

We’re in a hugely exciting time for advertising, when new technologies—from AI to automation—are rapidly changing how we produce and deliver creative. But while tools are evolving fast, we want to remain balanced in using them in the right way for our customers. I’m re-imagining advertising by helping ensure that innovation amplifies craft. That means combining the power of emerging tools with our creative experts who know what resonates, what delights, and what helps advertisers build their brands—and making sure that balance is at the heart of every project we take on.