Who we are
Kirsten Chambers-Taylor
Founder & Chief Pathfinder
Kirsten is an international business consultant with more than two decades of experience engaging business leaders, US state economic development leaders, United Kingdom and New Zealand industry, and a wide network of cross-sector industry partners. Her expertise spans international lead generation, project management and delivery of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by high-growth innovative companies, strategic guidance and tactical market entry implementation for exporters, collaborative and compassionate team leadership, and development of creative thought leadership programming.
Kirsten served with the UK Department for Business and Trade in Boston from 2000-2024, leading a cross-sector business development team and providing commercial advice to successive British Consuls General. She led development and delivery of UK Ministerial/VIP visits and dozens of business delegations. She was a member of the US management team, providing leadership on well-being, learning and development, and operational support for initiatives across DBT’s North America network of offices.
Originally from New Zealand, Kirsten lived and worked in The UK and France before settling in the Boston area with her husband and two fur-children.
Eileen Cimino
Logistics & Administration
Eileen is a travel and logistics specialist with more than two decades as an independent contractor.
She works internationally delivering conference and meeting programs, supporting logistics for group travel and delivery of corporate summits, product launches and more intimate gatherings for VIP events.
John Hoggard
Senior Advisor – Health Tech and Life Sciences
John is an international growth executive with over 15 years of experience across healthcare, life sciences, tech, and government. He is passionate about accelerating the global adoption of innovative therapies and health technologies.
John has advised C-suite leaders on high-stakes initiatives, shaped go-to-market strategies through data/policy analysis and facilitated an array of public-private partnerships. As global head of commercial excellence for Abbott’s Heart Failure division, he led strategic initiatives that improved commercial execution. In a field leadership role with the British Government focused on life sciences, John led a team that exceeded investment quotas for 8 years straight through challenges like Brexit, grew deals for UK companies entering the US market by 10x over 5 years, and ensured vital medical supplies reached the UK’s National Health Service during the Covid pandemic.
He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MA in International Studies from SOAS (University of London), a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, and a BA in music. John lives with his wife and three rambunctious children in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Joy Kinnear
Senior Advisor – Corporate Strategy
Joy is a senior corporate advisor supporting boards and leadership teams in navigating the complexities of strategy, governance and sustainable growth. She works with clients to evaluate market opportunity, assess & mitigate risk, qualify partnerships and develop funding and growth opportunities. Her leadership roles in the technology and financial service sectors have focused on building capacity and capability for managing global growth, for large corporates including NASDAQ and for several startups through to their successful exit.
Joy has lived and worked in Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK and is now happy to call Boston home. She holds a Masters in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a BA from Clark University.
Testimonials
Andrew Fahey, CEO, Briars Group Ltd (UK)
I have really enjoyed working with Kirsten over the past few years and would happily recommend her. Kirsten’s greatest strength is her ability to open doors and build meaningful, high-quality relationships. She has introduced us to key contacts across the US market, facilitating valuable connections, networks and conversations that would have taken significant time and effort to establish independently. These introductions were thoughtful, well-matched and rooted in a genuine understanding of our business objectives. Alongside this, Kirsten brings strong strategic thinking and practical execution. She supported us with in-market programmes, pathway building and event coordination, ensuring that the right people were in the room and that engagement translated into real momentum rather than just activity. Her approach is highly collaborative — she challenges constructively, asks the right questions and works as a true partner. I look forward to continuing to work with Kirsten and would not hesitate to recommend her to any organisation looking for a trusted connector with a deep network, strong commercial instincts and the ability to turn relationships into tangible outcomes.
Andrew Fahey, CEO
The Briars Group Ltd (UK)
Paul Snape
Kirsten is a fantastic connector for UK firms and an absolutely invaluable resource for the UK in Boston. Her network is amazing, her insights astute and her ability to mobilise the DIT machine when an opportunity makes sense for the UK is awesome. All that, and she’s a collaborative and people-centric professional who leads from the trenches and makes friends from colleagues. All-round one of my most valued business colleagues in a long career in the UK and USA.
Dawn Wivell
I have had the pleasure of working with Kirsten for 24 years, having met her when I was the International Trade Director for the State of New Hampshire. Throughout New England, Kirsten has been everyone’s go to person for the UK Consulate, whether for business, investment, diplomacy, networking, or fun. As a creative connector, she made everything happen. Because she is so well connected and so knowledgeable in a wide variety of sectors, she has formulated a diversity of ecosystems that are solid and remarkably long lasting. Kirsten’s support through five governors, multiple incoming and outgoing trade missions, many trade development events through the years, various boards that we have both served on, and my personal career path to my private consultancy, my reliance on Kirsten has never waivered. She is strategically mission driven, goal oriented, and authentic in her passion for fostering prosperity. (Dawn Wivell, CEO, Firebrand International)
Joy Kinnear
Through skillful networking, qualified introductions and dependable follow through, Kirsten has developed a superb international network of c-suite executives and senior governmental officials. She is strategic, spotting gaps and opportunities then activating the right resources to deliver for her clients and her team. While focused like a laser on goals, Kirsten is creative, using humor effectively to engage and inspire, making her a respected manager and a terrific moderator. Kirsten’s energy, optimism, tenacity and good humor will benefit any initiative and organization!
Tony Jones
I have had the pleasure of collaborating with Kirsten over many years as we have sought to facilitate interactions and deal flow in life sciences between UK and Mass. Always inspiring, motivating, creative and professional to explore new ideas with. Moreover, Kirsten is an extremely strong people person, evidenced by the impressive network maintained and who respect Kirsten hugely.
Jody Robie
Being the first American in a UK owned business can be daunting and lucky for me I met Kirsten in that first year. Always connecting, informed and kind, Kirsten has been a great partner for me and her many clients and connections on both sides of the pond.
