Dr. Shonna Waters

Dr. Shonna Waters PhD translates psychological science into engineered business systems that deliver quantifiable financial returns for enterprise leaders. As co-founder and CEO of Fractional Insights, she brings a strategic architect’s mindset to human capital investments—designing measurable frameworks that align workforce performance with C-suite priorities.

Dr. Waters’ expertise in systems design and organizational transformation has established her as a sought-after advisor for executives navigating complex workforce challenges. At BetterUp, where she was among the first 50 employees and founding scientist, Dr. Waters architected enterprise-wide assessment and coaching methodologies that helped drive the company’s growth, garnering a $4.7 billion valuation during her tenure. Her pioneering measurement frameworks transformed coaching from an HR expense to a data-backed strategic investment, repositioning human development as a driver of shareholder value.

As a former government executive, Dr. Waters led the comprehensive redesign of foundational talent systems—including promotion, performance management and recognition frameworks—that enhanced organizational performance while reducing administrative burden. This systems-level expertise is complemented by her experience developing sophisticated talent assessments that predict high performance across specialized roles, creating automated tools that drive both efficiency and performance.

Dr. Waters’ executive advisory work combines scientific precision with commercial pragmatism, focusing on: architecting human capital systems that create exponential returns on investments; developing measurement frameworks that quantify workforce adaptation and transformation; designing evidence-based talent strategies that drive measurable business outcomes; and building organizational resilience that sustains performance through disruption.

Her insights on workforce transformation and human capital ROI have been featured in and on CNBC, Forbes, Fast Company and Axios. As former vice president of research at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), she directed enterprise-wide research initiatives that shaped HR strategy across multiple industries, establishing her reputation as a thought leader who bridges scientific rigor with practical application.

Dr. Waters combines her PhD in industrial-organizational psychology and statistics from the University of Minnesota with Georgetown University executive coaching certification to deliver a unique blend of analytical depth and human insight. An award-winning author and educator, she has published over 100 academic and practitioner works including two celebrated books on HR analytics and coaching to drive individual, team and organizational impact.

At Fractional Insights, Dr. Waters engineers "psychological ergonomics" into organizational systems—ensuring workforce adaptability becomes your competitive advantage. Her approach brings engineering discipline to the "people side" of business, ensuring every dollar spent on technology and human capital produces exponential returns. She is passionate about creating organizational environments where human potential and business performance reach their highest expression simultaneously.