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Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks

Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks is an entrepreneur, award-winning engineer, tech leader, writer, mentor, wife, mother of two, former gymnast that still loves to flip, and avid conversationalist. 

She spent 14 years working at five Fortune 500 companies (Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Leidos, Honeywell, and Intel), holding various leadership roles in design, system testing, product creation, staffing, software program management, and operations. 

As a Black millennial woman in engineering & tech, she's no stranger to breaking barriers and being the "first" or "only." Lauren is the first Black woman to graduate from The University of Kansas' Aerospace Engineering Department and the first Black woman to win the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) international design competition. She's a recipient of the Women in Technology Rising Star Award, and she has an MBA in Operations Management from the University of Scranton. 

Lauren is now the Founder and CEO of KeepWOL. Using her technical background, fascination with psychology, and determination to make things fun, she built a technology company that uses games to deeply understand how people think and what influences their decisions.  

Lauren serves on the University of Kansas's School of Engineering DEIB Advisory Council. She believes mentorship is one of the greatest gifts she can give and is an active career mentor to multiple people of color in STEM professions. 

Though she's an engineer by trade, at her core, she's a curious, and at times overly transparent, conversationalist with a superpower of getting others to break down their fear of vulnerability and feel comfortable sharing as well. Her top two values are authenticity and legacy, and she keeps these front of mind in everything she does.

Home : About Me

Podcast Appearances

10/25/2023

The Game Changer in HR

Play to Productivity: Gamifying Workplace Interactions

07/18/2023

Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks (KeepWOL) \\ Using Gamification to Engage

07/05/2023

04/28/2023

HR Works Presents HR Work Break: Play, Reflect, & Learn Part II

04/21/2023

HR Works Presents HR Work Break: Play, Reflect, & Learn Part I

02/27/2023

Masters of Scale Strategy Session with KeepWOL’s Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks 

01/04/2023

KeepWOL’s Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks on Connection and Engagement

11/15/2022

How Games Can Improve Interpersonal Skills

07/08/2022

How Gamification Can Build Inclusive High-Performing Teams

06/14/2022

What They Don't Tell You About Entrepreneurship 

05/30/2022

Psychology Based Games - with Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks

04/12/2022

Curiosity and Connection with Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks

12/17/2021

Aerospace Engineer Takes a Big Risk and Finds Her Passion and New Company

12/1/2021

Storytelling About KeepWOL With Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks

11/21/2021

Leaders with Heart are Servant Leaders

8/29/2021

Founder Drives Engagement Within Teams

2/21/2021

Team Building that Maximizes Cultural Intelligence and Minimizes Turnover

Home : Podcasts

Keynote & Panelist Speaking Appearances

TENWEST

11/09/2023

RTX WISE Global Summit

11/02/2023

10/19/2023

07/11/2023

09/08/2022

 Black Enterprise Women of Power Tech Conference - Best Places to Work Panelist

Tribaja Diversitech

5/12/2022

What They Don't Tell You About Entrepreneurship Panelist

JP Morgan Chase

3/24/2022

Breaking Barriers & Sustainability Panelist

Boeing

3/10/2022

Workshop Training on Building Interpersonal Skills to Maximize Cultural Intelligence

Arizona Irish Women's Conference

2/5/2022

Keynote Speaker and Workshop on Maximizing Cultural Intelligence Using Curiosity, Courage, and Connection.

World Happiness Fest

11/21/2020

Workshop Trainer on Unlocking the Power of Belonging

Home : Keynotes
Home : Press

Editorials, Features, & Bylines

Phoenix Business Journal

01/26/2024

HR Future Magazine

01/01/2024

There's Value in Learning and Development Spend

Author:  Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks

AZ Inno

10/26/2023

Bizwomen

08/08/2023

HR Daily Advisor

07/26/2023

The Elusiveness of L&D ROI

Author:  Lin Grensing-Pophal

Training Magazine

06/12/2023

Honing your Delivery

Author:   Lorri Freifeld

Training Magazine

06/01/2023

SmartBrief

05/16/2023

The ROI of L&D Gamification

Author:  Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks

AZ Inno

04/14/2023

SHRM

03/15/2023

Why Belonging Matters

Author:  Matt Gonzales

SHRM

01/23/2023

Training Magazine

01/14/2023

BenefitsPRO

01/04/2023

What are HR leaders’ top priorities for 2023?

Author:  Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks

SmartBrief

12/20/2022

How Games Can Improve Human Leadership

Author:  Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks

SHRM

10/14/2022

Why Belonging Matters

Author:  Matt Gonzales

Worklife

10/13/2022

HR.com

08/24/2022

HR Future

08/03/2022

Forbes

08/01/2022

Talent Culture

07/08/2022

Employee Benefit News

06/15/2022

Unite.AI

5/9/2022

VentureBeat

3/25/2022

BenefitsPRO

3/18/2022

Authority Magazine

3/5/2022

TechTarget

2/1/2022

Gamification in Learning Platform tested at Mayo Clinic

Author: Patrick Thibodeau, News Writer 

2/1/2022

InBusiness Phoenix Magazine

Coruzant

12/20/2021

RecruitingDaily

12/16/2021

Gilbert Sun Times

12/10/2021

Gilbert firm’s gaming boosts employee morale

Author: Ashlyn Robinette, GSN Staff Writer

MarTech Today

11/29/2021

New Solutions Support Workplace Diversity and Inclusion

Author: Kim Davis, Editorial Director 

Authority Magazine

11/10/2021

AllWork.Space

11/8/2021

HRTECH Series

10/27/2021

Mooring Advisory Group

4/30/2021

Home : Recognition

Recognitions

Female Emerging Leaders of 2023

2023

Arizona Innovation Challenge Winner

2022

AZ Big Media Who's Who in 2022 List

2022

UBS Grant Recipient

2022

Best Tech Start-up Finalist

2021

Fundraising Best in Cohort

2020

Rising Star of Technology Award

2011

International Aircraft Design - First Place

2010

Contact Me

I'd love to hear from you! I'm happy to consult on any topics that I can help with, including: 

  • STEM Professions

  • Corporate career growth, pivoting, resumes, interview prep, and negotiating

  • Transitioning from corporate America to entrepreneurship 

  • Building a tech startup 

  • Being a working mother 

  • Being a founder from multiple underrepresented communities

  • Overcoming being an outsider  

  • What it's like to be the first at something, 

  • Maximizing cultural intelligence in the workplace

  • Making vulnerability comfortable 

 

I'm also open to speaker inquiries or other collaborations. Please feel free to email me at lauren [at] keepwol [dot] com. 

Home : Contact
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