Elizabeth Thornton, Adjunct Lecturer of Entrepreneurship is the Special Assistant to the President for External Relations. Thornton is a member of the President’s Cabinet, developing and leading external initiatives to accelerate the growth of entrepreneurship in multicultural communities. Thornton was Babson First Chief Diversity Officer.
Thornton also teaches entrepreneurship in the graduate and undergraduate programs at Babson. She has developed a new curriculum called the Principle of Objectivity which she teaches at the graduate school and also at Babson’s Executive Education Center. This course teaches people about objectivity, a mindset that will help people react appropriately to changing dynamics, make sound decisions and improve their relationships with others for a more happy and successful life. The principle of objectivity is also used as an underlying framework for collaborative, “no shame-no blame” conversations about diversity and inclusion.
Thornton is founder and CEO of the training and consulting firm, Entrepreneurship Advantage, Inc., which provides resources and tools to help businesses thrive and grow. She has assisted more than 85 businesses in Massachusetts and hundreds nationwide, and has consulted with the Pioneer Institute, the Center for Women and Enterprise, Inner City Entrepreneurs, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the City of Boston, to name a few.
She has over 15 years of corporate experience with institutions such as American Express and Bank One and more than 15 years of 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. Subsequently, she was asked to serve 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.