How She Did It: Kristine Gentry

If you can't see it, you can't be it! EvolveMe’s How She Did It series features inspirational women who've reinvented their careers in midlife. Learn how they did it and take away usable tips from their professional journeys.

We’re thrilled to introduce the very wonderful Kristine Gentry, cultural anthropologist, Founder of Culture Grove, and host of the Collaborative Culture Podcast. Her story is a must-read for anyone tackling career and life transitions.

With a PhD in cultural anthropology, Kristine Gentry has turned her deep understanding of people and purpose into her life’s work: helping leaders create authentic, inclusive cultures where everyone can thrive.

When a career shift and personal transformation came together in midlife, Kristine took the opportunity to reinvent her professional path. Drawing on her resilience, perspective, and her guiding belief that “culture isn’t something you fix, it’s something you cultivate,” she launched Culture Grove—a consultancy that helps organizations move beyond surface-level efforts to build workplaces rooted in trust, respect, and belonging.

Today, Kristine is on a mission to change the way we think about culture – from a buzzword to living practice. Whether she’s advising clients, hosting her Collaborative Culture podcast, or building The Podium Project to elevate new voices on stage, Kristine leads with empathy, insight, and intention.

It’s especially powerful for us to see Kristine today – after participating in EvolveMe's Reinvention Collective – launch her business, do what lights her up, and lean into what she’s truly great at.

Her story is a reminder that midlife reinvention isn’t about starting over. It’s about starting from experience.

What's your personal mantra, mission, or manifesto?

My mantra is: Culture isn't something you fix. It's something you cultivate. Whether in business or life, meaningful change takes root when we honor people’s lived experiences and create space for values to come alive in action.

My mission is to help leaders build cultures that are intentional, inclusive, and deeply rooted in respect, so that individuals and organizations can grow and thrive together. As a cultural anthropologist, I see culture not as a buzzword but as the soil in which everything else grows. My work —and my life —are about nurturing that soil so we can all feel free to be our best selves.

What inspired you to launch your current career/launch your business?

After leaving academia, I joined a boutique consulting firm where I helped build their strategy and culture practice. It was an incredible opportunity. I worked on fascinating projects across industries and saw firsthand how impactful culture work could be. That experience planted the seed of an idea: one day, I might launch a firm of my own.

Over the next several years, I took on roles at a startup data firm and then on the Innovation and Strategy team at a large healthcare system. But after a leadership change led to the layoff of much of our team, I found myself at a crossroads. That’s when I returned to the EvolveMe Reinvention Collective, for the second time, and it gave me the clarity and confidence I needed to finally make the leap.

I started Culture Grove because I saw a gap in the market: too many “culture” initiatives were missing the mark. Surface-level efforts like office murals or ping-pong tables might look good, but they don’t address the deeper human aspects of culture like values in action, psychological safety, or leadership trust. As a cultural anthropologist, I bring a deeper, more authentic lens to this work. I know that culture isn’t something you fix. It’s something you cultivate. 

What's unique about returning/pivoting in midlife? Challenges & opportunities?

Pivoting in midlife is rarely just about work. It often happens alongside other major life transitions. For me, that meant navigating a career change during COVID, losing my mom after her three-year battle with a rare leukemia, and facing the unraveling of a 27-year marriage. By the time I launched my business in 2024, I was newly separated, my daughter had just left for college, and my personal and professional worlds were both in flux.

But here’s the gift of midlife: perspective. I’ve weathered enough storms to know that even in uncertainty, I can find my footing. I’ve developed the mindset and tools to take care of myself, mentally, emotionally, and physically, so I can keep showing up with strength and intention.

I know when and where to turn for help because we can't do this alone. The challenge is holding steady through the change. The opportunity is to discover just how resilient, resourceful, and brave we really are.

What’s one intention you have for your work this year?

This year, my intention is to do meaningful work with clients who are ready for real change, not just checking the culture box, but digging deep to build workplaces where people can truly thrive. I want to grow Culture Grove by partnering with organizations that value their people and understand that strong cultures aren’t built overnight. They’re cultivated with care, intention, and expertise. Success to me means making a lasting impact while staying true to my values and vision.

What are you most passionate about right now?

I’m passionate about building an equitable society where we create environments for people to do their best work. I’m currently working on a passion project, the Podium Project, a one-day event for women and underrepresented people to have an opportunity to speak on a stage in front of an audience and leave with the assets they need to build a professional speaking career including a speaker sizzle reel, photography (on stage, headshots, and brand shots), a speaker one-sheet, testimonials, feedback, and a community supporting each other on their journey.

Our inaugural event is February 17, 2026 in Houston, TX. Currently, most professional speakers are white males. Our goals is to diversify the voices we hear from by helping more people get on stages.

What does a typical day look like for you?

No two days look exactly the same, and I love that. Most days include a mix of virtual meetings with clients, potential partners, or collaborators, along with time spent nurturing relationships through networking, both online and in person. I usually attend at least one in-person event or meeting each week to stay connected with the community.

Behind the scenes, I wear many hats. I might be developing tools for clients, writing content, recording a podcast, sharing insights on social media, diving into the latest research, or mapping out strategies to grow Culture Grove. It’s a constant balancing act, but one that’s fueled by purpose and passion.

And no day is complete without a walk with my rescue pup — a daily ritual that helps me stay grounded and joyful, no matter how full the calendar gets (ideally).

What’s one thing that's advanced your career in the last year?

Getting visible through speaking engagements, webinars, blog posts, my podcast (Collaborative Culture), my newsletter, and LinkedIn has really accelerated my career this year. It’s not always comfortable to put myself out there, but sharing my voice and perspective has opened new doors and connected me with people and opportunities that align with my mission. It has also led to opportunities to partner with others in my podcast and in the Podium Project.

Who’s your “tribe” when it comes to professional inspiration or support?

My tribe is made up primarily of other entrepreneurs, most of whom I’ve met within the past year, with a few longtime connections like Judy and Linda, who I first met during COVID. I’ve heard it said that no one truly understands the entrepreneurial journey except other entrepreneurs, and I’ve found a lot of truth in that.

While my close friends who aren't entrepreneurs are still a core part of my support system (even if they think I’m a little crazy for launching a business!), when it comes to business advice and professional motivation, I lean heavily on the incredible community of entrepreneurs I’ve built, including my dad, who is a long-time entrepreneur. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by people across so many industries who are daring to build something of their own. Their energy, creativity, and resilience constantly push me to keep going.

Favorite book, app, or podcast?

A new favorite book is Jen Hatmakers’s Awake. The story she tells resonates with a lot of women in the same age range, including me. It is inspiring to see how she went through so much change and upheaval in her life and how she is thriving on the other side. I also love the "We Can Do Hard Things" podcast. They share a great mixture of personal development, current events, and fun episodes. 

You’re granted an extra hour in the day, how do you spend it?

This is a hard one. I'd love to say I would relax by the pool and read a book, but these days, I'm much more likely to spend it catching up on my work to-do list.

The advice I would give my 20-year-old self is…

When someone shows you who they are, believe them. Trust actions, not words.

The advice that I want to give my 75-year-old self is...

You've worked hard. You did great. Now travel, spend time with your loved ones, and enjoy your life!

Your theme song that plays every time you walk into a room should be?

“Unwritten” – Natasha Bedingfield

Best career advice for other women in midlife?

Don’t wait for perfect timing. It doesn’t exist. Midlife is a great time to bet on yourself, not because everything is settled, but because you’ve lived enough life to know what really matters. You’ve built wisdom, resilience, and clarity. Now is the time to use them.

Also, don’t let anyone convince you that reinvention means starting over. You’re not starting from scratch. You’re starting from experience. Whether you’re pivoting, launching something new, or reimagining your path, trust that everything you’ve done before is part of what makes you powerful now. This is something I learned in the Reinvention Collective that has served me well!

When did you feel you got “you” back?

Honestly, it’s still a work in progress. Some days, I’m surprised by how much of myself I had tucked away over the past couple of decades in service to roles, routines, or relationships that didn’t always reflect who I truly am.

But now, I’m actively building a life and a business that align with my values. Every time I make a decision rooted in purpose, every time I honor what matters most to me, I feel a little more like myself. It’s less about going back to who I was, and more about becoming the most authentic version of who I’m meant to be now.

What’s up next?

I'm going to keep going, focusing on building Culture Grove, the Podium Project, and Collaborative Culture and see where they take me. My goal is to continue this work and focus on living a life that's true to my values, while cheering my teenagers on (and secretly wiping my tears) as they launch into the next phase of their lives.