Jessica Thornton

About Jessica Thornton

I help organizations make better people decisions by turning workforce data into clear, actionable strategy. My background in industrial-organizational psychology and people analytics gives me a strong foundation in understanding what really drives performance, engagement, and change.Over the years, I’ve worked closely with business and HR leaders to solve tough workforce challenges—whether that’s rethinking how we approach succession planning, figuring out if HR programs are actually working, or preparing teams for AI disruption in a way that’s both smart and people-centered.Here’s what I’m known for- Making sense of complex employee experience data and turning it into action - Evaluating HR and learning initiatives to see what’s moving the needle—and what’s not - Bringing a fresh, scenario-based lens to succession planning (not just focusing on “high potentials”)- Designing performance and coaching frameworks that actually stick - Building roadmaps for AI readiness with a human-first mindsetAt the core, I’m a systems thinker who’s not afraid to ask the hard “What are we really solving for?” questions. I believe the best workforce strategies are the ones leaders actually use—because they’re practical, grounded in insight, and aligned to the bigger picture.Let’s connect if you’re navigating change, scaling for growth, or just trying to make better people decisions with the data you already have. I’d love to hear what you’re solving for.

Experience

1. Director, People Analytics

   athenahealth

   Jun 2025 — Present

   Leading the strategy and delivery of people analytics for a growing tech company. Focused on simplifying access to insights, shaping an enterprise-wide research agenda, and enabling HR to think and act more analytically. Driving adoption of data-informed decision-making across the employee lifecycle, while building scalable tools, dashboards, and frameworks that connect workforce trends to business priorities.

Education

• University of North Carolina at Charlotte

  M.A., Industrial/Organizational Psychology

• North Carolina State University

  B.A., Communication Sciences and Disorders, General

Skills

• Program Management
• Research
• Consulting
• Organizational Culture
• Microsoft Office
• Organizational Development
• Performance Measurement
• Survey Design, Implementation and Analysis
• Research Design
• Leadership
• Spss
• Social Sciences
• Higher Education
• Analysis
• Qualitative Research
• Organizational Effectiveness
• Program Evaluation
• Leadership Development
• Survey Design
• Design Methodology (Social Sciences)
• Public Speaking
• Data Analysis
• Higher Education Administration
• Nonprofits
• Management
• Statistics
• Analytics
• Methodology