On the heels of roles at Facebook and YouTube, Kendra Desrosiers joined live-streaming service Twitch as the global head of strategic programs and culture. The announcement came this December.
“Twitch is a pioneer in the creator economy and I’m thrilled to be joining a platform so pivotal in giving creators a voice,” said Desrosiers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m excited to partner with Twitch’s creator community to understand their challenges, celebrate their successes, create new opportunities, and champion diverse voices on the platform as Twitch enters its next chapter.”
In the position, Desrosiers will implement strategies to support diverse creators in the long term. She will also oversee social impact-focused programs to strengthen the platform’s relationship with universities and colleges.
Desrosiers works under Constance Knight, the senior vice president of global creators at the Amazon-owned company.
Desrosiers’ role at Twitch marks her third time holding an influential position at a media goliath.
“Off to earn my next creator infinity stone for the culture — no platform left behind!!” tweeted Desrosiers in celebration of her achievements.
Desrosiers spent over two years at Facebook, now Meta, where she served as a media partnerships marketing executive.
Prior to Facebook, she spent nearly six years at YouTube in a variety of marketing roles, including a stint as the product marketing lead of consumer diversity. Desrosiers pitched a successful marketing initiative to the video-sharing service that bolstered women and multicultural creators and viewers.
The Boston-born executive earned her bachelor’s degree at Howard University and her master’s at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.
The self-described “pop culture hound” got her start as a journalist, and can occasionally be heard on Malaysian radio station BFM 89.9 in pre-recorded ads.
Twitch has grown a user base of over 140 million monthly active users since its inception in 2011, according to search engine optimization advice blog Backlinko. Hosting over 100,000 broadcasts around the clock, the gaming-centric live streaming platform rakes in over 1.5 billion in annual revenue, Backlinko says.
Twitch landed in hot water last summer when Black and queer Twitch users boycotted the platform in response to rampant, unchecked “hate raids” in which malicious users spammed Black and queer-hosted streams with hateful language. Twitch implemented verification features to promote a safer environment.
