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.
Podcast Appearances
Play to Productivity: Gamifying Workplace Interactions
07/18/2023
02/27/2023
Masters of Scale Strategy Session with KeepWOL’s Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
12/17/2021
Aerospace Engineer Takes a Big Risk and Finds Her Passion and New Company
2/21/2021
Team Building that Maximizes Cultural Intelligence and Minimizes Turnover
Keynote & Panelist Speaking Appearances
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
Editorials, Features, & Bylines
Phoenix Business Journal
01/26/2024
Startups to Watch 2024: 10 companies with big plans
Author: Amy Edelen
HR Future Magazine
01/01/2024
There's Value in Learning and Development Spend
Author: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
AZ Inno
10/26/2023
Phoenix startup thinks gaming can be the cure for workforce retention
Author: Amy Edelen
Bizwomen
08/08/2023
In Her Own Words: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks engages employees with gameplay
Author: Ellen Sherberg
Training Magazine
06/12/2023
Author: Lorri Freifeld
Training Magazine
06/01/2023
How a Pharma Company Built a Connected Learning Ecosystem Through Play
Author: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
SmartBrief
05/16/2023
Author: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
AZ Inno
04/14/2023
Venture Madness 2023: Meet the winners from this year’s Arizona startup competition
Author: Amy Edelen
SHRM
03/15/2023
Author: Matt Gonzales
SHRM
01/23/2023
Game-Centric Technology: A Better Way to Engage Employees in L&D?
Author: Lin Grensing-Pophal
Training Magazine
01/14/2023
A Preview of Potential L&D and HR Trends for 2023
Author: Lorri Freifeld
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
Author: Matt Gonzales
Worklife
10/13/2022
How emerging tech is solving hybrid-working headaches
Author: Tara Weiss
HR.com
08/24/2022
Back to Basics: The Case for Soft Skills in the Age of Automation
Author: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
HR Future
08/03/2022
Use Games to Trigger Learning and Growth at Work
Author: Alan Hosking
Forbes
08/01/2022
3 Soft Skills Required to Compete in Today's Post Pandemic Workplace
Author: Bryan Robinson
Talent Culture
07/08/2022
How Gamification Can Build Inclusive High-Performing Teams
Author: Meghan M. Biro
Employee Benefit News
06/15/2022
Let the games begin: How Google utilized this training platform to connect new team members
Author: Paola Peralta
Unite.AI
5/9/2022
Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks, Founder & CEO of KeepWOL – Interview Series
Interviewer: Antoine Tardif
VentureBeat
3/25/2022
Leveraging games and AI to maximize cultural intelligence in the workplace
Author: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
BenefitsPRO
3/18/2022
How talent development is driving retention amidst the labor shortage
Author: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
Authority Magazine
3/5/2022
Interviewer: Phil La Duke
TechTarget
2/1/2022
Gamification in Learning Platform tested at Mayo Clinic
Author: Patrick Thibodeau, News Writer
2/1/2022
InBusiness Phoenix Magazine
KeepWOL – Growth through Play and Reflection
Author: RaeAnne Marsh
Coruzant
12/20/2021
Leveraging Tech for Maximized Cultural Intelligence and Retention
Author: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
RecruitingDaily
12/16/2021
How Gamification is Creating a More Diverse and Empathetic Work Environment
Author: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks
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
Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks Of KeepWOL On How Diversity Can Increase a Company’s Bottom Line
Interviewer: Fotis Georgiadis
AllWork.Space
11/8/2021
Here’s Why Gamification Can Help Companies Build Inclusive, High-Performing Teams
Author: Emma Ascott
HRTECH Series
10/27/2021
KeepWOL Launches Talent Development Platform To Maximize Workplace Cultural Intelligence
Author: HRTech News Desk
Mooring Advisory Group
4/30/2021
Knoteworthy: Lauren Fitzpatrick Shanks, KeepWOL
Author: Melanie Hardcastle
Recognitions
Female Emerging Leaders of 2023
2023
Arizona Innovation Challenge Winner
2022
UBS Grant Recipient
2022
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:
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STEM Professions
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Corporate career growth, pivoting, resumes, interview prep, and negotiating
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Transitioning from corporate America to entrepreneurship
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Building a tech startup
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Being a working mother
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Being a founder from multiple underrepresented communities
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Overcoming being an outsider
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What it's like to be the first at something,
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Maximizing cultural intelligence in the workplace
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Making vulnerability comfortable