A globally recognized leader in the field of future of work, Kelly Monahan is the mind behind some of the world’s leading companies’ efforts to bring the workplace of the future into the present. As the Managing Director of Upwork’s Future of Work Research Institute, Monahan is the architect of first-of-their-kind research programs — the findings of which have inspired solutions to workplace challenges at some of the world’s top organizations.

Monahan introduces audiences to the human side of workplace evolution as she draws from her firsthand research to reveal current and future trends that are shaping the workplace and provide decision-makers with the information, tools, and resources they need to understand and meet the needs of their employees now and in the future of work. She points to key data that will provide the stimulus for improving people-related decision-making in the workplace, and discusses the role of technology as organizations rework their talent strategy. With a philosophy rooted in an unshakeable belief in human potential, Monahan’s people-first approach to the future of work is intended to help organizations arrive at their own personalized solutions to fostering more purposeful workplace experiences for all.

In her current leadership role at Upwork, Monahan is responsible for leading the organization’s data analytics and insights and advising top executives on how to incorporate those findings to augment the employee experience and create mutually beneficial workplace-worker dynamics. Her key focus areas include remote worker health and growth, developing best practices for distributing team effectiveness, and designing equitable workplace experiences for all. Monahan is no stranger to leading future of work initiatives at global companies. Prior to Upwork, she served as Director of Future of Work at Meta and as Principal Director of Global Talent Research at Accenture, where she provided expertise and counsel to executives and decision-makers on workforce of the future issues. Before that, she was the lead future of work researcher at Deloitte. In her early career, Monahan held roles as a human research manager, marketing analyst, media manager, and media planner.

An expert whose daily work is laying the foundation for a future of work that works, Monahan has been recognized and published in both applied and academic journals, including MIT Sloan Management Review and Journal of Strategic Management. In addition to being the author of How Behavioral Economics Influences Management Decision Making, she has written more than a dozen publications, is a TEDx speaker, and is frequently quoted in the media on talent decision-making and other aspects of the future of work. In her own words, her research is driven by her desire to make our workplaces more meaningful.