Ellie Kiernan is a Senior Associate at Luminary Labs. She has created human-centered, actionable strategies for multisector clients; this background helps her identify connective patterns and cultivate shared value among cross-functional stakeholders.

Prior to joining Luminary Labs, Ellie led consulting projects at C Space, tackling the strategy and innovation challenges of Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations. At C Space, she designed and implemented a Theory of Change to transform Meta’s news platform after the 2016 presidential election and developed infrastructural solutions for gig economy workers at Citizens Bank. Most recently, she worked at the Rockefeller Foundation on its Innovation “New Frontiers” team, facilitating solution-building at the edge of science and technology. She has additional experience as a researcher for Women’s World Banking and as an on-site business consultant for a food system startup in El Salvador.

Ellie holds a Master of Public Administration in Social Innovation and International Development from New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. At NYU, Ellie received the Jo Ivey Bouffard Award for Innovation and the Female Founders Circle Fellowship award for her work co-developing the blueprint of a NYC food delivery worker mutual aid cooperative. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish from Hamilton College. Ellie is an avid surfer, a pit bull lover, and a fan of books by Elena Ferrante. She is conversational in Spanish.