After helping with the Publicity Crew for the Branksome Hall Centennial celebration play in 2003, it’s no surprise that Kristin McKINNON’05 is now a part of the communications team behind the City of Toronto’s FIFA World Cup events. She is helping tell the story of our city to the rest of the world as only a Branksome alum can.

What's your fondest memory from Branksome Hall?

This is hard to narrow down! I have so many good memories, from Spirit Week Lip Syncs to Pierogi Day at the cafeteria to unofficial Film Club lunches in the English department’s hallway. I especially loved being part of Branksome’s performing arts scene. I served on the music council, played multiple instruments in several bands—I learned tenor sax just to join the stage band because they got to play all the best songs!—and was part of every school play, as either cast or publicity crew. I didn’t know it at the time, but these early opportunities helped set the stage for my career in arts and culture communications and public relations.

What's something you're up to now that you'd want to share with the alum community? 

After a decade in communications for the performing arts, I made the jump to the City of Toronto. Currently, I’m working on marketing and communications for the FIFA World Cup 2026. As a lifelong sports fan (the 4:00 a.m. Olympic alarm kind), I’ve loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles to life.

What’s struck me most isn’t just the scale, it’s the energy. Toronto is more of a soccer city (or “football” city, if you prefer) than I ever realized. That passion is only growing with the FIFA World Cup in our backyard. The city will be buzzing from kids in their Messi jerseys playing on Toronto’s new soccer mini-pitches to fans cheering (and commiserating) at packed restaurants along College Street. Being part of the team shaping Toronto’s World Cup story, connecting with soccer communities at a grassroots level, and helping spotlight what this moment means for our city has been pretty rewarding. 

What are you hoping for from the next part of your path?

Working on a massive event like the FIFA World Cup, in my own hometown, is a once-in-a-career kind of experience. I hope to soak it all in and enjoy the moment. Although I probably won’t see an actual match, you don’t need to be inside the stadium to feel the energy. Between the FIFA Fan Festival at Fort York and The Bentway, plus neighbourhood celebrations across Toronto, there’s going to be excitement and energy everywhere you turn. Once it’s all wrapped up, I look forward to continuing to tell Toronto’s stories in my role with the City.

Is there a book (professional or personal) that you’d recommend to other alums?

As a former bookseller, this is an impossible question. Read as much as you can, whenever you can, whatever you can. And there’s no such thing as a guilty pleasure—any book you enjoy is a good book!