Erin Thomas

At this time of racial reckoning, Thomas has proved both thoughtful and prolific, publishing near-daily actionable takeaways for leaders who are trying to build anti-racist cultures—including her own CEO. A former academic and researcher who holds multiple degrees in social psychology, among other disciplines, Thomas is now the head of diversity, inclusion, and belonging at Upwork, a Silicon Valley platform for freelancers. She is making her mark on the tech world by pushing her company and the industry around her to hold themselves accountable and to embrace actions and metrics, not just intentions and words.