How Creating Clarity, Opportunity, and Inclusivity Has Defined This Intentional Leader
Kathleen Lockhart never set out to lead an 80-person team managing the commercial negotiations behind Zayo’s North American business. In fact, when she first encountered Zayo at a college career fair, it was the only booth without a line.
“That’s really all it was,” she laughs. “But it turned out to be kismet.”
That chance encounter led to an internship mapping acquired fiber networks—a fitting start for a math and geography major with a knack for systems thinking. Since then, Kathleen has steadily climbed the ranks at Zayo, moving from fiber engineering to product management to VP of Deal Management – a role she helped build from the ground up – and eventually into her new position as SVP of Deal Management where she now oversees the commercial levers tied to customer revenue from beginning to end.
A Journey That Wasn’t Always Linear
Today, Kathleen oversees Zayo’s commercial pricing, bid responses, revenue retention, and written proposals across North America. Her organization includes deal management, pricing strategy, revenue retention, reporting & analytics, and what she affectionately calls her “creative writers”—the RFP response team. “Everything that empowers sales to position a solution to a customer… my team touches all of it.”
Her new position gives her touchpoints to new areas of the business, allows her to pull new strategic levers, and gives her insight into a more holistic view of customer revenue from beginning to end. Kathleen shares, “I plan to tackle this new role as I have everything else – by partnering transparently with my team on strategies, unsticking problems where they arise, and helping team members grow to face the ever-changing industry.”
I didn’t always know what I wanted to do. I just knew I liked solving problems and making things better.
Her journey to playing such a critical role at Zayo hasn’t been linear and she owns that. “I didn’t always know what I wanted to do,” she says. “I just knew I liked solving problems and making things better.”
That mindset led her to pursue an MBA while working full-time at Zayo, a move that unlocked new opportunities. It was during a company reorganization that Kathleen raised her hand to build out the newly defined Deal Management function. “It was hands down the highlight of my career: getting to define the culture, the processes, the team dynamics from scratch.”
A Voice For Others Who Don’t Yet Have One
Being intentional is a defining characteristic of Kathleen’s leadership style. From the language she uses to advocate for her team to the way she mentors employees at all levels, she’s deliberate about creating clarity, opportunity, and inclusivity. “What I say and how I show up matters, especially as a woman in leadership. I take that responsibility seriously.”
Early in her career, Kathleen resisted being defined by her gender. “I didn’t want to be known as a great female leader. I just wanted to be known as great.” But over time, she began to understand the importance of using her platform. “I realized I could be a voice for others who don’t yet have one. I now see it as an obligation to speak up.”
Kathleen is also a passionate advocate for performance-based growth. “When change happens—and at Zayo, it always does—it creates opportunity. If you’re great at your job, people will find a place for you.”
A Full Life of Giving Back
Outside of work, Kathleen stays just as engaged. She serves on a nonprofit board, Teach by Tech, and is an advisor in residence for Greenhouse Scholars, mentors first-generation college students, and supports her MBA alumni network. Her other full-time role? Mom to a vibrant toddler. “She’s sassy, spunky, smart, and absolutely the light of my life,” says Kathleen. “Experiencing the world through her eyes has given everything a new meaning.”
Whether she’s hiking the foothills west of Denver, playing ukulele, or coaching emerging leaders, Kathleen brings a sense of curiosity, humility, and intentionality to everything she does. And after nearly a decade at Zayo, she’s still energized by what lies ahead.
“Change is constant here, and I love that. It keeps me growing, and that’s what I want, for me and for my team.”