We invest in the future of entertainment and creativity, driving its digital transformation at the intersection of iconic creatives, innovative technologists, and impactful troublemakers.

We accelerate extraordinary leaders looking to make good trouble while leaving a lasting impact. The Troublemaker Lab is a coaching and fractional executive practice, formerly known as WSDM Labs. Since 2016, we've served extraordinary leaders and founding teams for VC-backed companies and venture capital portfolios. We also provide facilitation and designed experiences for mid-size companies and large enterprises. Some of our clients include companies in the software technology, deep tech, web 3.0, future of work, and climate tech industries.

I write about leadership, careers, and organizational culture. Have an interesting perspective in this space? Let's connect!

X, (formerly Google X), is Alphabet’s R&D Innovation Lab. I advise our Women of X leadership group. Women of X empowers women by fostering connections across various projects and offering development opportunities. I advise the WoX leads on valuable strategies for increasing representation in leadership and the broader community at X.

Accelerating innovation while leading Talent Experience organization across X’s portfolio of moonshots. Formerly known as Google X - X, the Moonshot Factory is now known as Alphabet's innovation lab.If you’re curious about X or interested in exploring opportunities head over to https://x.company⚠️ Speaker Requests: For any speaking requests, podcasts, or interviews related to X and our own people and talent practices, please send them directly to press@x.team

We create radical new technologies to solve some of the world's hardest problems. I have the wonderful opportunity of leading the Human Experience Design (HxD) team at X. Made up of team members across People Innovation (XPI), Total Rewards, People Analytics, Talent Operations, L&OD, and People Strategy & Operations.

Member of the inaugural A.Team’s CXO Network, a curated cross-disciplinary group of distinguished executives sharing knowledge and advising the next generation of change-makers. Serving as an active executive on the CXO advisory board.More at http://a.team/cxo

SemperVirens is an early stage venture capital fund investing in technology transforming healthcare, work, and financial wellness. The fund has a portfolio of more than 50 industry-defining technology companies and an invite-only Venture Advisor group of 70 senior HR leaders of public companies. SemperVirens is committed to making meaningful connections amongst all stakeholders on a mission to build a better future of work.

HIGHER is a safe, inclusive space where in-house recruiters can share best practice, make new connections and plug into the ever-changing world of global TA.

Magic Eden is the #1 NFT marketplace on Solana. Our mission is to be the destination for discovering, trading, and creating NFTs.Advising on next stage of growth and People & Culture strategies.

Coreshell unlocks the true capacity and economics of batteries to enable the timely deployment of clean energy. Advising on next stage of growth and People & Culture strategies.

Pyn is an Employee Communications & Experience Platform.In an increasingly distributed workplace, Pyn improves employee communications using powerful marketing techniques, such as personalization, scheduling, automated triggering. With Pyn, employees automatically receive helpful messages at key moments - from their first day in their job, to a promotion, to running their first one-on-one. Pyn is founded by Culture Amp co-founder Jon Williams & Atlassian, Squarespace, and Typeform People Chief Joris Luijke.

Faculty coach for the following programs:Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute CertificationCoaching for InclusionMLT Senior Executive Leadership Fellows

Roleshare has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a pathway to economic transformation and brings the sharing economy to jobs to enable a sustainable, diverse and equitable workforce. Advising the founding team on the #futureofwork

Chief is a private network built to drive more women into positions of power and keep them there. Chief is the only organization specifically designed for senior women leaders to strengthen their leadership journey, cross-pollinate ideas across industries, and effect change from the top down.

We believe in a world powered by curiosity. We believe that curiosity today, makes the leaders of tomorrow. We believe an ordinary thought can transform into an insight that becomes a launchpad for innovation. We dare to inspire curiosity by empowering young minds, building thriving communities that create awareness, reimagine education and provide access to unique and inclusive learning experiences.As the Founder and Chief Explorer of BrainCandy Labs, I'm committed to investing in STEAM squared (STEAM + Leadership) opportunities for our young people with a heart for our underrepresented communities.

I have the wonderful opportunity serve as a member of the advisory board alongside an amazing group of women leading global technology advancements in their industries. We are focused on creating education and mentorship opportunities for women working in the field of Business Leadership and Technology to increase the number of talented women in C-Suites, executive leadership positions. The focus of my involvement on the board is on developing the next generation initiative to nurture the talent pipeline of young women interested in pursuing interests and careers in science and technology.Our flagship education and mentorship initiative, MiniWITI, launched in June 2019 at the 25th Anniversary of the Women Technology Summit in San Jose, CA (watch the video below)WITI started in 1989 as The International Network of Women in Technology and, in 2001, evolved into The WITI Professional Association, the world's leading trade association for tech-savvy women. Today, WITI is the premiere global organization empowering women in business and technology to achieve unimagined possibilities.With a global network of smart, talented women and a market reach exceeding 2 million, WITI has powerful programs and partnerships that provide connections, resources, opportunities and a supportive environment of women committed to helping each other. Along with its professional association of Networks throughout the U.S. and worldwide, including Hong Kong, Great Britain, Australia, and Mexico, WITI delivers value for individuals that work for a company, the government or academia, as well as small business owners.

Served as CHRO / Chief People Officer capacity as a key member of the Executive Team reporting directly to the CEO. Site leader for the Bay Area location in Redwood City, CA. Led a team of talented HR and Talent professionals to provide end-to-end employee lifecycle strategy and support while providing organizational guidance and thought partnership to advise the CEO and executive team on all people and culture-related matters.Our mission is to empower our customers to achieve their real estate goals by providing them access to the most experienced team, trusted solutions and exclusive properties in the marketplace.Led strategy, planning and execution for all HR functions: Talent Acquisition, Exec Search, Employee Engagement & Culture, Benefits, Compensation and HR Systems, L+OD, HR Business Partnerships, Shared Services and Internal Communications.

Infuse Program Foundation turns at-risk youth into entrepreneurs in 9 weeks.Created opportunities for 500+ students who have participated in program since 2011. 100% of students graduated program acquiring skills and showcasing their business plan pitches at leading technology companies while earning scholarships and internships at top Silicon Valley companies. (Sponsors included: OpSource, Infinera, Nimble Storage, Microsoft, Box, Brocade, LinkedIn, Google and Facebook)

Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only community for senior-level human resources executives across all industries. We are a network of leaders who give advice on talent, performance management, employee engagement, and people & talent strategies.

Machine data goes in; a relational database comes out. Zebrium uses machine learning to structure data at-scale, on ingest. Advisor to team in IoT and people network vertical.

Lead our talent acquisition, engagement and development teams to deliver awesome candidate and employee experiences. Increased overall company engagement score through leadership role in key people initiatives by 7+ pts. YOY. Reimagined and operationalized sr. leader and hi-potential development program (Impact Player) by instituting "rolling thunder" and driving quarterly business review strategies. Graduated 100+ senior leader and high potential talent in 24 months. Co-designed and implemented transparent full circle feedback process based on Ten-X Way leadership profile framework.Led strategy and integrated multi-channel teams encompassing employee engagement, rewards and recognition, people communications, and employment brand in one talent products organization driving results in internal mobility (12%+), decrease in attrition and increase in employee engagement enterprise-wide (10 points YOY over 24 months.)Created initial pilot of university/intern program in partnership with CTO and CPO resulting in two-year program that graduated 17 students with backgrounds in finance, HR, Legal, Marketing, and Engineering in 2016 and 2017.https://ajthomasportoflio-impactplayer.mystrikingly.com/

Reporting directly to VP of HR, I led strategy, program and initiatives that placed company to win Best Places to Work award in the Bay Area and North Carolina three years in a row from 2011 to 2013.Co-developed refresh of company values with executive leadership team. Drove implementation of performance management philosophy transitioning company from annual to quarterly goals, coaching, career conversations. Led project that embedded key principles in management tools, process and systems.Led strategy and managed employee programs and team contributing to external brand refresh and all-flash product launch. Developed multi-channel approach to drive leader and employee engagement globally, from email campaign, campus signage, live events, strategic launch specific all-hands and training programs.Built and drove internal communications strategy resulting in programs that spanned enterprise wide engagement. Created and operationalized enterprise wide programs to prepare company for IPO scale. Led teams that implemented Nimble NEXT onboarding experience program, MyNimble employee intranet, Product Talks, Tuesday Talks, CEO Roundtable, Founders Forum, CEO Podcast, Drive Employee eMagazine, global company all-hands, video storytelling, internal events programs and Senior Leadership Group meetings.Rewrote Employee Handbook from compliance driven document to engaging magazine for all employees.Built leadership development program (LEAD) targeting first line and mid-level management (over 150+ people managers) Built and created company's first ever peer-to-peer recognition program with 100% adoption and 12% QoQ increase in global participation.Launched, analyzed and reported annual employee engagement survey results driving top level people strategy for executive leadership team and VP of HR.Roles:Director, Talent Development & Engagement | August 2014 - July 2015Sr. Manager, Employee Engagement & Internal Communications | March 2013 - August 2014

Built out initial HR Support Center operational processes, programs and metrics spanning onboarding, immigration, relocation, employment law and compliance, and support for internal communications/leadership development programs. Built first ever automated customer trial platform to assist sales force in multi-million dollar trial programs for SLTE, DTN and DTNX trials. Drove immediate growth to global sales enablement by 25% in each trial vertical by transitioning 100+ global sales team to automation of equipment/product trial program. Defined SLAs and key measurement metrics with Product Management team to drive automation and fiscal controls in trial inventory. Increasing productivity for product management, support engineering backend product operations and manufacturing teams.Worked in partnership with Product Line Management team to identify and redeploy inventory of over $3M of trial gear assets distributed globally.

Served in various roles: HR Projects & Strategic Implementation Manager, Employee Services Manager, and HR Administrator.Created on-boarding program for newly established employee services leader role. Built foundational HR Administration handbook documenting legal and administrative processes managed through employee services team. Trained initial incumbents in HR Administration and Supervisor of Employee Services roles encompassing responsibility for union programs and regular full time process administration. Co-led national electronic time keeping transition project (entitled TEMPO) with scope of 3000+ non-exempt full time and bargaining units from paper timecard process to automated timecard swipe program. Helped create initial program to transition to online HR ticketing system in conjunction with IT and HR internal audit teams via project entitled COMPASS.Selected to represent HR team on international assignment in London to kickoff and build international HR shared services center in 2009 alongside EMEA HR leadership team. Nominated by peers and leaders as winner of Iron Mountain Excellence award for contributions to HR department in 2008.

Worked on HR executive search and administrative professionals.

Member of inaugural international Career Development Program for Sales and Account Management teams.Selected as 2005 President's Club winner. Ranked top 1% of sales and revenue producer nationally. Led Western sales region in averaging 160% of quota consistently for 8 quarters.