Christine Deputy
About Christine Deputy
Christine Deputy (age 59) is an independent director of KinderCare Learning Companies, Inc., serving since 2021. She is Chief People Officer at Expedia Group and previously held senior HR leadership roles at Pinterest, Nordstrom, Dunkin’ Brands, Aviva, Barclays, and Starbucks. She holds a B.A. from George Washington University and brings deep expertise in global human capital management and strategy to the board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expedia Group | Chief People Officer | Not disclosed | Human capital strategy and enterprise HR leadership |
| Pinterest, Inc. | Chief People Officer/CHRO | Not disclosed | People operations and scaling HR in tech growth context |
| Nordstrom, Inc. | Chief Human Resources Officer | Not disclosed | Retail HR leadership; talent and organization design |
| Dunkin’ Brands | Chief Human Resources Officer | Not disclosed | Consumer services HR leadership |
| Aviva plc | Group Human Resources Director | Not disclosed | Group-level HR governance at a global insurer |
| Barclays (Global Retail Banking) | Human Resources Director | Not disclosed | Banking HR; compliance and workforce practices |
| Starbucks Corporation | VP, HR Asia Pacific | Not disclosed | Regional HR leadership for APAC markets |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Expedia Group | Chief People Officer | Current operating executive role; no KinderCare-related transactions disclosed |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Deputy is independent under NYSE rules .
- Committees: Chair, Compensation Committee; Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (post-Annual Meeting: Deputy, Desravines, Grasty) .
- Attendance/Engagement: Board met 4 times; all directors attended ≥75% of board and applicable committees post-IPO in FY2024. Compensation Committee met once; Audit Committee met twice; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee did not meet in FY2024 .
- Board leadership: Independent Lead Director (Jean Desravines); Chair separate from CEO .
| Governance Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent under NYSE standards |
| Committee Roles | Chair: Compensation; Member: Nominating & Corporate Governance |
| Meetings in FY2024 | Board: 4; Audit: 2; Compensation: 1; Nominating & Corporate Governance: 0 |
| Attendance | ≥75% for all directors post-IPO |
| Lead Independent Director | Jean Desravines |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Retainer | Role Stipends | Cash in Lieu of Equity | All Other (Expense Reimb.) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | $100,000 (per 8/4/2021 offer) | $15,000 (Compensation Chair stipend) | $110,000 (cash in lieu of equity for FY2024) | $4,569 | $229,569 (fees $225,000 + other $4,569) |
Notes:
- Offer letters (8/4/2021) provide $100,000 annual cash stipend and eligibility for annual equity grants with a grant-date value of $110,000; FY2024 used cash in lieu of equity .
- Additional stipends: Compensation Committee Chair ($15,000); Lead Independent Director ($35,000); Audit Chair ($25,000) per program; Deputy receives the Compensation Chair stipend .
Performance Compensation
| Component | Metrics | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Non-employee director program (FY2024) | None disclosed; no performance-linked elements for directors in FY2024 | Equity awards were not granted to non-employee directors in FY2024; cash paid in lieu of equity. Company expects to adopt a non-employee director compensation program with equity awards in connection with the 2025 Annual Meeting |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No public-company directorships disclosed for Deputy; no interlocks identified in proxy. Compensation Committee interlocks section indicates no insider participation, and no reciprocal board-service by KinderCare executives at other entities in FY2024 . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global HR leadership across consumer, tech, financial services, and education-related sectors; qualified for Compensation Chair role given human capital and pay governance experience .
- Board determined she meets independence standards; supports objective oversight of executive pay and governance .
- Committee oversight spans compensation (including stock ownership guidelines, clawbacks, incentive plans) and governance (director nominations, ESG oversight) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | RSUs/Options within 60 days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christine Deputy | 7,991 | <1% | RSUs: 3,594 issuable within 60 days | Proxy also states no non-employee director held equity awards as of Dec 28, 2024; FY2024 paid cash in lieu of equity. Company expects to adopt director equity program in 2025 . |
Insider trades and filings:
- Delinquent Section 16(a): No late filings disclosed for Deputy; late Form 4s were noted for certain executives (Thompson, Amandi, Harrah, Wyatt) due to tax withholding sales on RSU vesting; not applicable to Deputy .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independent director; chairs Compensation Committee and sits on Nominating & Corporate Governance, positioning her to influence pay governance and board composition .
- Formal oversight of clawbacks, stock ownership guidelines, and incentive plan administration; Compensation Committee produced CD&A and related disclosures, indicating structured processes .
- Attendance commitment met (≥75%); board uses executive sessions led by a Lead Independent Director .
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Watch items / potential risks:
- Sponsor influence: Partners Group (PG) owns ~69% and has nomination rights, including the right to appoint a director to each board committee; PG-affiliated director (Joel Schwartz, Partners Group) serves on Compensation Committee alongside Deputy, though the Board deems committee members independent. This structure can raise perceived influence risk despite formal independence determinations .
- Committee activity: Post-IPO FY2024 saw limited committee meeting cadence (Compensation: 1; Nominating & Corporate Governance: 0), which may signal early-stage public company normalization; monitor FY2025 cadence as director equity program and governance policies are formalized .
- Ownership alignment: Non-employee directors held no equity awards as of Dec 28, 2024 and received cash in lieu of equity; beneficial ownership for Deputy is <1%. Equity program adoption for 2025 is expected to improve alignment if implemented and held, with compliance to any director ownership guidelines to be assessed .
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Overall implication:
- Deputy’s HR and pay governance expertise is well suited for Compensation Chair during IPO-to-public transition. The sponsor-controlled board framework and co-membership with a PG-affiliated director warrant ongoing monitoring for independence in pay decisions, committee workload, and the efficacy of upcoming director equity and ownership policies .