Laurie Henneborn, MSLIS
Laurie Henneborn, MSLIS, is an inclusion and future-of-work thought leader, C-suite advisor, research and insights executive, board member, and keynote speaker with more than three decades of experience translating insight into meaningful business and social impact. Throughout her career, she has relied heavily on the power of professional networks and mentorship relationships to guide her career transitions and leadership growth. She recently retired after nearly 27 years at Accenture, where she served as a Managing Director and global research leader, scaling research, operations, and thought leadership programs that influenced Fortune 500 strategy on global stages including the World Economic Forum in Davos and CES. She is known for combining strategic discipline with people-first leadership to help organizations navigate digital transformation and the rise of artificial intelligence in the workplace.
Laurie entered research because of her passion for discovery and her belief that insights can drive real organizational and societal change. Her work has focused heavily on shaping future workforce trends and helping companies build more inclusive cultures grounded in psychological safety. Her most significant contributions have been in disability inclusion advocacy. After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2004, she privately managed her diagnosis for nearly 14 years due to stigma. She later shared her story publicly through her LinkedIn article, “What? You Look Good,” using her platform and research expertise to encourage transparency and inclusion. This personal experience helped inspire her work on the Disability Inclusion Advantage business case, developed in collaboration with Ted Kennedy Jr., Disability:in, and the American Association of People with Disabilities, which was later presented to policymakers, attracted strong client interest, and received the AAPD Catalyst Award. She also led major people initiatives including Accenture’s Global Women’s Initiative for the research team of more than 300 colleagues and served as executive sponsor for mental health and wellbeing programs.
Committed to purpose-driven leadership and community service, Laurie continues to serve on nonprofit and public governance boards while mentoring emerging leaders. She is a frequent author and speaker on topics including inclusive design, accessible technology, and AI-enabled work transformation, and she holds a master’s degree in Library and Information Science from St. John’s University along with a Diversity and Inclusion certificate from Cornell University’s ILR School. As she moves into the next phase of her career following retirement, Laurie remains focused on advancing disability inclusion, building psychologically safe cultures, and using research and innovation to create workplaces and technologies that work for everyone.
• Certificate, Diversity & Inclusion for HR, Labor and Industrial Relations
• Diversity & Inclusion for HR
• State University of New York Cortland - BA, English
• St. John's University - MLIS
• AAPD Catalyst Award
• 2021 Women of Distinction
• American Association of People with Disabilities
• Kellenberg Memorial High School
• North Bellmore Public Library
• American Association of People with Disabilities
What do you attribute your success to?
She attributes her success primarily to strong professional networks and mentorship relationships, which helped guide her through career transitions and opportunities. She is also driven by purpose-driven research work focused on influencing market trends and helping organizations build more inclusive cultures. A major part of her success comes from her impact work in disability inclusion. After publicly sharing her multiple sclerosis diagnosis, she used her research and leadership platform to advance advocacy and awareness through initiatives like the Disability Inclusion Advantage, developed in collaboration with Ted Kennedy Jr., Disability and AAPD. She also credits her leadership roles in large people-focused initiatives, including women’s leadership and mental health and wellness programs, while emphasizing the importance of staying connected to the communities she serves.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice she has received centers on persistence, confidence, and not accepting “no” as a final answer. She draws inspiration from her aunt and mentor figure, Diane Severino, who taught her to pursue goals with determination and resilience. Whenever she felt discouraged, she was reminded to stay focused on her purpose, believe in her ability to succeed, and keep pushing forward even when facing obstacles. This mindset has shaped her career philosophy—combining drive, optimism, and a commitment to making meaningful impact through her work and service to others.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say, especially for women, imposter syndrome is an epidemic amongst us. I'm not saying that men don't have it, but especially women, with our backgrounds and in a male-dominated industry like consulting and technology - quiet the noise. I say to my female colleagues all the time, you know, you got this. Quiet the noise. That inner voice is often lying to you. It's the biggest lesson, and I'm still learning it, especially now as I'm thinking of going off on my own. I have to tell that voice to just take a step back, because the fact of the matter is I'm thinking about this, I'm giving my time and my effort. I'm a big believer in manifestation and visualizing success. So I would just say, care for one another, and quiet that inner voice that tells you you can't do something, because the greatest things come from those moments when you're able to do that.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I would say being truly empathetic, authentic, and charismatic. If you're going to want to influence and impact how others think, how others behave, all of these dimensions are absolutely required. And there is a certain je ne sais quoi, right? There's a certain essence that's needed. Actually, we as women have a large role to play, and we can play that role because, let's face it, it's been ingrained in us - that essence of being human, being authentic, and having that charisma to make an impact and to succeed. Those are the top three on top of mind for me.
Locations
Accenture
Palm Harbor, FL 34685