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Elizabeth R. Thornton  

Entrepreneurship Expert & Author of "The Objective Leader"

Elizabeth R. Thornton is a Professor of Management Practice, Babson Executive Education and Adjunct Lecturer of Entrepreneurship, Babson College. She was also Babson’s first Chief Diversity Officer.

Thornton has developed a new curriculum called the Principles of Objectivity which she teaches to graduate students and to corporations through Babson’s Executive Education. This course teaches people about objectivity, the power of seeing things as they are, without projecting mental models, biases, and fears in order to react appropriately to changing dynamics, make sound decisions and improve relationships with others. The Principles of Objectivity is also used as an underlying framework for collaborative, “no shame-no blame” conversations about diversity and inclusion. She is also the Faculty Director for the Workshop @ Macy’s where she helped develop and currently co-facilitates with Macy’s, the unprecedented minority vendor development program in New York each year.

Thornton is the founder and CEO of the training and consulting firm, Entrepreneurship Advantage, Inc., which provides resources and tools to help businesses in under served communities thrive and grow. She has developed the Business Advantage Tool to help entrepreneurs understand their current financial performance so that they can develop a strategic plan to create new jobs and revitalize communities.

She has over 15 years of corporate experience with institutions such as American Express and Bank One and more than 15 years of consulting/entrepreneurial experience with clients such as the Presidential Inaugural Committee, Clinton ’92, The White House and a global beverage company, Governor Patrick appointed Ms. Thornton to serve twice. In 2007, she was appointed to the Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board (MWIB) to represent small business interests. She was also asked to serve as on an Advisory board to craft legislation merging three quasi-public agencies for small business to gain access to capital and business advisory support. Thornton is now a Director of the newly legislated Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation and chairs the Technical Assistance Sub-Committee.

Thornton has a B.S.B.A. from Georgetown University, studied under the Oxford Center for Management Studies, and holds an MBA from New York University's Stern School of Business.

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