Brittany Persinger: Profiles in Knowledge — Rising Stars Series

Originally published April 17, 2025

11 min readApr 17, 2025

This is the 114th article in the Profiles in Knowledge series featuring thought leaders in knowledge management and the second in the Rising Stars Series. Rachel Teague suggested this series and is my co-author on this article.

Brittany Persinger is a KM specialist with a decade of experience currently working to help drive KM excellence in the UN currently based in Amman, Jordan. She specializes in capacity building, communities of practice, community management, content curation, editing, knowledge management, learning, and project management.

Background

In her own words

When people ask what I do, I tell them I’m a matchmaker for tools/solutions. I’m an experienced knowledge manager with a passion for taking KM into the future. I currently manage a KM team with the shared vision of using organizational knowledge to make better decisions, increase efficiencies, and improve how work happens. I’ve also developed KM action plans, facilitated virtual and in-person workshops on how to keep Communities of Practice thriving, and used my research and digital content curation skills to build up knowledge bases, make informed arguments for program adaptation, and highlight ways to use technology to share information.

Education

University of Bradford — Master of Arts with Merit Honors, Peace Studies
Messiah University — Bachelor of Arts, Political Science

Experience

World Food Programme

Head (OIC), Knowledge Management and Library Unit, 2024 — Present
Knowledge Management Officer, 2023–2024

World Vision

Manager, Knowledge Management, 2020–2023
Knowledge Management Advisor, 2017–2020

Search for Common Ground — Consultant, 2016–2017
Inclusive Security

Knowledge Management Associate, 2016
Program Associate, National Action Plans, 2012–2016
Advocacy Associate, 2012

Profiles

Content

Conferences

Knowledge Summit Dublin 2025- June 24, 2025: From Urgency to Impact: Harnessing Knowledge for Life-Saving Humanitarian Work — with Davorka Garagic
APQC 2020 KM Conference

Life After Love: What Happens After CoPs Fail? Keynote presentation on how to keep Communities of Practice from failing — with Sara Crass

Abstract submission

Recording

Building KM Skills with Cindy Hubert, Johel Brown-Grant, and Jennifer Hawkins

The April 2025 Rising Star Interview by Rachel Teague

Though I had known of Brittany through mutual KM circles, I was fortunate enough to meet her for the first time at Knowledge Summit Dublin in June of 2024. Brittany was a breath of fresh air to connect with — someone who balanced both a healthy dose of idealism and realism while simultaneously rolling up her sleeves and asking where we could start. From day one I knew that I had found a new thought partner and friend in KM to share ideas with, dissect problems, and work collaboratively to find solutions. Even if she didn’t have the answer or ability to get it done, she knew where to point me. Having the opportunity to sit and to learn more about Brittany’s journey in KM was enlightening and I genuinely enjoyed the conversation. She is a light in our community and uses her voice to help others amplify theirs.

What led you into the field of KM, and why are you passionate about it?

I didn’t set out to work in knowledge management — I kind of stumbled into it, like a lot of us do. My background is in political science and peacebuilding, and early in my career I was more focused on policy and advocacy. In 2012, I was working at a women and peacebuilding think tank in D.C., and I found myself less interested in tracking Congressional activity and more drawn to building internal systems — documenting lessons learned, curating resources, setting up structures for sharing information. At one point, I literally Googled the kinds of things I was doing to figure out what this role even was. “Knowledge management” popped up, and it was one of those lightbulb moments where I was like — oh, this is what I do. That moment shifted the course of my career.

What makes me passionate about KM is that it taps into the way I naturally approach problems. I’ve always been someone who sees patterns, who likes connecting the dots and bringing clarity to messy situations. KM gives me a way to solve big, complex problems in a way that feels intuitive — especially working in spaces like the UN, where the problems are big. I can see how the pieces fit together, and then the challenge becomes helping others see it too — bringing people along for the journey, making the complex feel understandable. That’s what energizes me about this work. It’s not just about organizing information — it’s about driving impact through clarity and connection.

What are your specialties?

My core specialties are knowledge retention and transfer, communities of practice, and strategy development. I also really love facilitating — whether that’s virtual or in-person learning spaces. There’s something so rewarding about creating environments where people can connect, share, and experience those “light bulb” moments together.

I’ve been remote for a long time, but in-person facilitation and public speaking are still strengths I bring to the table. I’m especially drawn to collaboration spaces — things like knowledge cafés or communities of practice — where I can help people feel heard, make sure things move forward, and really nurture those connections. It’s kind of funny, because if you asked me if I’m a “people person,” I’d probably say no. But I am really good at facilitating networks and creating structure around how people engage and share.

On the strategy side, that’s where I get to fully nerd out. I love the days where I can just sit down, brain-dump everything into an action plan, sketch out frameworks, build templates — really dig into the process. Strategy isn’t just one document; it’s buy-in, implementation, monitoring, and making sure it all works together. That kind of systems thinking is something I find energizing.

Who are your influences, and why?

I’ve learned a lot from John Hovell, who facilitated my CKM course back in 2018 and has been a mentor and friend ever since. I’ve also had the honor of working alongside Chris Collison and learning from his decades of experience. What I’ve gained from both of them goes beyond technical KM expertise — it’s also about how they lead with relationships, inclusion, and trust. From day one, they treated me like an equal, even though they had years (decades, really) of experience on me. That kind of respect and openness made a huge impact.

Watching how they engage with people — how they listen, facilitate, and create space for collaboration — has shaped the way I think about KM. Yes, we need systems and strategy, but people are at the heart of all of it. And in a field that’s still evolving, I think it’s essential that we make room for “nextperts” — for new voices, emerging perspectives, and people who bring different lived experiences into the conversation. That’s how we grow. That’s how we keep KM relevant in a world that’s changing fast. I feel lucky to have had mentors who modeled that so clearly.

If you could only implement one component as part of a KM program, what would it be, and why?

Communities — without question. If I could only implement one component of a KM program, it would be communities of practice. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful they can be as catalysts for collaboration, especially across functions and regions. They’re spaces where learning is shared, where people connect, and where knowledge actually gets re-applied — not just documented and forgotten.

At WFP, we are really leaning into this by working to layer our communities into different types: true communities of practice, communities of interest, and then those more practical spaces where country offices can just exchange information. We feel that structure will help ensure we’re meeting people where they are — whether they’re deep subject matter experts or staff just trying to figure things out on the ground.

Communities are never a silver bullet, but when done well, they move the needle in so many areas — knowledge retention, collaboration, visibility of expertise, even culture. They create the connective tissue across an organization, and that, to me, is one of the most valuable things KM can offer.

What is your vision for a successful KM program?

For me, a successful KM program is one where knowledge is actively flowing across the organization — not just being stored somewhere, but actually moving. What’s being learned over here is known and applied over there if it’s relevant. There are systems and connection points in place to make that happen, and it all works seamlessly enough that most people don’t even realize KM is at play — they just feel like things work.

I often compare it to good design. You don’t notice good design — you notice when it’s bad. It’s the same with KM. When it’s working, people find what they need when they need it, they know who to go to, and they can make better decisions because of it.

In an ecosystem like the UN, that means connecting learning across global programs, across contexts, and ensuring that we’re not just collecting knowledge for the sake of it. We’re using it — to adapt, to respond, to plan smarter. That means investing in the right people, the right tech, and the right culture. It means leadership can speak to the value of KM, even if they don’t use the term explicitly. It means we have systems that surface expertise, that support cross-pollination, and that enable real-time problem-solving.

Ultimately, KM should help us make better, faster, and more strategic decisions — not just in the moment, but over time. And in a humanitarian context, that can literally be the difference between life and death. So when I think about success, it’s not about flashy tools or perfect frameworks. It’s about building something that works — and that leaves the program, the team, or the organization better than you found it.

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

I think what I’m most proud of is that in every KM role I’ve held — whether at WFP, World Vision, or other organizations — I’ve been able to leave the program better than I found it. Sometimes that’s meant improving systems or tools, and other times it’s been about laying a foundation where one didn’t exist. But in each case, I’ve seen real growth in how knowledge is managed and valued.

One thing I’m especially proud of right now is the upcoming revised KM strategy at WFP. It’s been almost a year in the making, with interviews, collaboration, alignment, and a whole lot of thinking and refining. To have contributed and put my stamp on it feels significant.

What’s been even more encouraging is the response. We’re seeing more teams reaching out, asking how they can align with the strategy and wanting to be part of it. That tells me something is shifting — that the value of KM is becoming more visible and more tangible. It’s not just about a document, it’s about momentum. And while it’s absolutely a team effort, being part of that shift is something I’m genuinely proud of.

I’m also proud that in December 2024, WFP was honored as one of the recipients of the 2023/2024 Global Knowledge Management Award, given by Knowledge Management Austria and the Knowledge for Development Partnership (K4DP). It was the first time WFP has received this kind of global recognition for KM. It’s a testament not only to the work of members of our KM team over the years, but also to WFP staff across the globe who learn, share, and apply their knowledge every day to solve problems and save lives. That acknowledgment — and the collective effort behind it — means a lot.

What would you like to accomplish in the short term and long term?

Short term, I want to play a more strategic role in helping institutions like the UN take KM seriously — not just as a back-office function, but as a critical driver of impact. I don’t want visibility just to be on every conference stage. I want to be visible because I’m advocating for something that matters. When people think about KM in institutions that work directly with communities around the world, I want them to understand the value it brings — and I want to be a voice helping make that case clearly and consistently.

Long term, if I’m going to be known as a KM voice, I want to be known as a voice for change. This current period — with all its uncertainty and upheaval — has shown us that we can’t keep doing things the way we’ve always done them. KM needs to keep pace with the world around it. That means welcoming new perspectives, making space for different voices, and pushing the field forward in ways that are more inclusive, adaptive, and grounded in reality. If I can be part of that shift, that’s the kind of legacy I’d be proud of.

What are your top three knowledge nuggets/insights/lessons learned?

Good KM is like good design. You don’t notice when it’s working — you notice when it’s not. People tend to realize the value of KM only when something breaks down: no one knows who the expert is, key documents are missing, lessons aren’t being applied, and suddenly we’re wasting time, money, or worse. That’s why it’s so important to make KM visible and tangible before it becomes a problem. You shouldn’t have to wait for a fire to prove why fire extinguishers matter.
Champions matter — especially at the right level. Having the right person in your corner can change everything, no matter how big or small your KM effort is. But you don’t get champions by tossing around KM jargon and hoping they care. You get them by connecting KM to what they care about — in their language, not yours. That strategic communication work upfront is what opens doors and gets buy-in.
Be a knowledge storyteller. As KM people, we love our terminology — CoPs, knowledge audits, appreciative inquiry, you name it. And yes, there’s value in precision. But if we’re so busy holding onto the language that we lose our audience, what’s the point? Our job is to translate, to paint the picture in a way that resonates with whoever we’re speaking to. The message doesn’t have to be watered down — it just has to be understood. That’s how you create momentum. That’s how you bring people with you.

What is something in the KM space you would like to learn more about?

I know there’s a lot of important work emerging around how to incorporate local and indigenous knowledge into AI initiatives — and I want to learn more about how to do that in a way that’s actually meaningful and not just lip service. The speed at which AI is advancing is staggering, and I don’t think the conversation around inclusion has kept pace. There’s a real risk that if we don’t intentionally design with a wide range of knowledge systems in mind, we’ll end up reinforcing the same narrow perspectives over and over again.

And right now, when terms like “inclusion” and “equity” are being politicized and pushed back on, it’s more important than ever to understand how to amplify diverse forms of knowledge in a tangible, grounded way. I don’t claim to have all the answers — but I want to be part of the learning and the action. I think KM has a real role to play here, and I want to deepen my understanding of how we show up for that work, especially in the context of emerging technologies like AI.