Kiersten Thornton

Kiersten Thornton is the chief people officer of The American Institute of Architects (AIA). In addition to having over 15 years of human resources experience, she is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and has expertise in leading all areas of recruitment and onboarding; performance management and compensation; employee relations; training and development; and compliance.

Prior to joining AIA, Kiersten served as vice president, people and culture at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, leading a team in implementing a modernized vision for the people strategy and HR functions that was fully aligned with overall organizational strategy and values. She also acted as a trusted advisor for staff, a strategic partner to the leadership team, and an innovator of HR initiatives that drove employee engagement and equitable outcomes for all team members.

She holds an MBA from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She previously held positions at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and law firm Wiley Rein.

Kiersten’s record of accomplishments includes strengthening company culture, enhancing overall staff engagement, and improving and automating processes. She has also worked on several strategic initiatives, including developing and executing performance management and compensation programs and spearheading equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives.