Shawntera Hardy

Shawntera M. Hardy is a seasoned multi-sector leader with a 20-year history of driving operational excellence at high profile organizations through periods of uncertainty and transformation. With extensive experience in public policy, economic and workforce development, healthcare, international relations, design thinking and environmental sustainability, she brings to each role a lens of proximity, through which she can see both connections and gaps between power, participation, and profits.

A champion for inclusive economies, Shawntera has built four impactful companies. Through her global advisory firm, Amethyst Advisory Group, she provides strategic counsel and capacity to public and private organizations. She helps organizations thrive in disruption, reimagine processes and dismantle outdated ways of thinking. She works alongside her teams and clients to scope out new courses of action and build strategies for maximum impact by climbing up on the balcony to get a
bird’s eye view of the current landscape. Her curiosity-based approach involves scenario planning and a relentless commitment to experimentation that helps leaders navigate uncertainty and build resilience for future challenges. She guides organizations into what they want, and out of what they don’t by asking “What if” and “How might we?.”

As co-founder and former Chief Strategy and Culture Officers for Plural — where she now serves as a Board Advisor—Shawntera co-led the development of a venture backed ($15 million in raised capital) legislative intelligence company focused on leveraging AI to automate access to state and federal legislative tracking. As co-founder of Fearless Commerce, she co-leads the development of high growth resources that strengthens the capacity and connections of businesses owned by Black Women. As cofounder of Certified Access, a supplier development company, she is building an ecosystem that supports Women of Color business owners in their efforts to obtain and benefit from certification.

Prior to becoming a full-time business owner, Shawntera was appointed by Governor Mark Dayton as the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) where she led a team of 1400 and oversaw an annual budget of $1.5 billion. Additional past leadership roles for Shawntera include deputy chief of staff; public policy and built environment director; lobbyist; city planner and legislative assistant. Shawntera holds a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Affairs from The Ohio State University, and a Master of Urban Planning from SUNY at Buffalo.