Jessica Thornton

Jessica Thornton

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Toronto, Ontario

Human Centered Design | Strategic Foresight And Research Expert

  • Videos
  • Expertise
  • Alliances & Partnerships
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Business & Corporate
  • Business Growth
  • Future of Work
  • Future Trends
  • Happiness & Positivity
  • Innovation & Creativity
  • Project Management

JESSICA THORNTON BIOGRAPHY

Jessica Thornton is a futurist, strategist, and process designer with over 15 years of experience in the public and nonprofit sectors. Jessica Thornton is known for her expertise in strategic foresight and social innovation, where Jessica Thornton helps organizations navigate uncertainty and make informed, future-oriented decisions. Her work spans diverse fields, including urban innovation, foresight for cities, the future of work, sustainability, food systems, healthcare, and public policy. Jessica Thornton is passionate about creating strategies that not only respond to immediate challenges but also build resilience for long-term societal and environmental shifts.

Throughout her career, Jessica Thornton has designed and delivered a wide range of virtual and in-person programs, each aimed at fostering innovation and resilience in both local and global contexts. These programs have been instrumental in preparing organizations to adapt to the evolving needs of their stakeholders and communities. Her leadership in these areas has made her a trusted advisor to government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and private sector leaders looking to embrace forward-thinking strategies.

Her work in strategic foresight is particularly focused on urban innovation. Jessica Thornton has collaborated with cities to help them anticipate and plan for future challenges, from shifts in demographics and labor markets to the impacts of climate change and technological disruption. Jessica Thornton believes that cities are at the forefront of the world’s most pressing challenges, and through her work, she seeks to equip urban leaders with the tools they need to create thriving, sustainable, and equitable communities.

Jessica Thornton has been recognized for her collaborative research and thought leadership in the field of foresight and innovation. In 2019, she received an award from the Association of Professional Futurists for her pioneering work on the future of public engagement in municipalities. This research highlighted new methods of engaging citizens in decision-making processes, leveraging technology and foresight to ensure that public policy is both inclusive and forward-looking. Her ability to connect broad, visionary thinking with actionable strategies has earned her a reputation as a key figure in shaping forward-thinking strategies for urban innovation and governance.

In 2021, Jessica Thornton was named a Next Generation Foresight Practitioner Fellow, further solidifying her standing as a leader in her field. This fellowship recognizes individuals who are at the cutting edge of foresight and who are using their skills to create positive impacts on the future. As a fellow, Jessica Thornton has contributed to global conversations about the future of cities, work, and sustainability, offering insights into how organizations and governments can prepare for an uncertain and rapidly changing world.

Before co-founding her current initiative within the urban innovation sector, Jessica Thornton held several leadership roles in strategic and program planning. In these roles, Jessica Thornton was responsible for developing new programs and helping organizations shift from traditional methods of planning to those rooted in foresight and future studies. Her innovative approach has helped many organizations transition to more adaptive, resilient models of operation, ensuring they are better prepared for the challenges of the future. Her early career in fundraising, where she focused on revenue model diversification and partnership development, sparked her interest in how organizations can better prepare for the future and has remained a key influence in her work.

Her academic background complements her professional achievements. Jessica Thornton holds a Bachelor’s degree in Socio-Cultural Anthropology from the University of Toronto, where Jessica Thornton developed a deep understanding of societal structures and human behavior. Jessica Thornton also earned a Master’s degree in Design, specializing in Strategic Foresight and Innovation from OCAD University. This unique combination of anthropological insights and design thinking allows Jessica Thornton to approach complex challenges from multiple perspectives, making her a sought-after expert in her field.

Jessica Thornton is based in Hamilton, Canada, where Jessica Thornton continues to contribute to forward-looking projects that address the complex challenges of modern cities and communities. In her role as a futurist, Jessica Thornton works closely with local governments, nonprofits, and businesses to ensure they are prepared for the changes and disruptions that lie ahead. Her work emphasizes the importance of collaboration, and Jessica Thornton frequently brings together diverse stakeholders to co-create solutions that are innovative, inclusive, and sustainable.

In addition to her professional work, Jessica Thornton is a dedicated advocate for education and capacity building. Jessica Thornton has trained leaders across sectors to develop foresight competencies, recognizing the critical importance of moving beyond past methods and embracing future-oriented decision-making. Her training programs focus on equipping leaders with the tools and mindsets necessary to navigate complex and unpredictable environments. Jessica Thornton believes that developing these skills is essential not only for individual success but for the success of organizations and communities as a whole.

Over the course of her career, Jessica Thornton has remained committed to her mission of creating a more sustainable and equitable future. Her work continues to inspire organizations and individuals alike to think critically about the future, make informed decisions, and embrace the opportunities that come with change. By focusing on foresight, innovation, and collaboration, Jessica helps ensure that the decisions we make today will lead to a better, more resilient tomorrow.

Jessica Thornton Related Media

Coming Soon!

Jessica Thornton Related Content

Articles & Magazine Feature

Is Canada ready to turn and face the strange future? by Jessica Thornton

Policy Options

In this article, Jessica Thornton explores how Canada can prepare for an unpredictable future shaped by technological advances, environmental challenges, and shifting societal norms. By focusing on strategic foresight, Jessica Thornton outlines the steps Canada must take to embrace innovation, adapt to emerging trends, and ensure resilience in a rapidly changing world. The article examines both current barriers and potential opportunities for policy reform in anticipation of future disruptions.
View

Jessica Thornton Topic Presentations

The New Work Normal

  • Virtual PresentationKeynote PresentationWorkshop SessionHalf Day TrainingFull Day Training
  • Is the future of work fully virtual? What new technologies will be used to support virtual collaboration? Or will people work less in the future as an after-effect of the “great resignation”? This session will dive deep into the current discourse surrounding the future of work, exploring prominent trends and emerging research on future skills, along with how workers’ values are shifting in a post-COVID employment context.

     

Canadian Cities in 2040: Public Report Forthcoming

Jessica Thornton Speaking Testimonials

Jessica Thornton and Heather Russek provided an engaging and meaningful dialogue at our conference on the future of work and what to expect in the years to come. They were able to tailor their message to our diverse audience and ensure the attendees were engaged and participating, even on a virtual platform. They were also able to pivot their presentation to accommodate changes that were brought on by the pandemic.

Graham Sucha

Community Engagement Specialist
Cybera - Cyber Summit

Creative Futures created a thoughtful and tailored presentation for our team. The session was an excellent introduction to futurist approaches and Jessica and Heather were great at finding ways to garner participation and engagement from all in an online format. Thank you!  

Karen Thorne-Stone

 President & CEO
 Ontario Creates

Jessica Thornton Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Jessica Thornton Keynote Speaker delivers customized and tailored keynote presentations, workshops, and training sessions on a wide variety of topics. Each presentation is unique and are designed for a variety of audiences, industries, conferences, and event formats.

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FAQ

How to book Jessica Thornton for an event?

Jessica Thornton keynote speaker is an expert presenter and has a wide range of experience speaking to a wide variety of audiences and organizations. Jessica Thornton delivers keynotes, workshops & training sessions. They may also host or emcee events. Hire Jessica Thornton from Toronto, Ontario for your event to inspire the audience to take action and make change in their work and their lives. Your workplace will benefit from our keynote speaker and their keynote talks and speeches will shift the mindsets or behaviours for the audience members in Canada. 

Interested in booking Jessica Thornton for an event?

Are you looking to hire Jessica Thornton for your event? Jessica Thornton Toronto, Ontario is a dynamic and engaging speaker that offers audiences researched content paired with expertise and a dynamic speaking ability. Jessica Thornton is also a Canadian corporate consultant and coach and facilitates workshops and training sessions for a corporate audience. Jessica Thornton is an expert keynote presenter and speaks on wide variety of topics. Hiring a great speaker for your event is important and working with a thought leader like Jessica Thornton from Speakers Canada's roster will engage audiences into the content of the presentation to bring awareness and a fresh perspective for their approach to their work and their lives. Book Jessica Thornton to educate, motivate and activate the audience through an interactive and entertaining presentation at corporate meetings and gatherings.

Known as a popular key note speaker in Canada, Jessica Thornton creates life changing experiences for the participants with practical insights and strategic advice they can implement right after the session. Working with one of our leading expert speaker like Jessica Thornton from Toronto, Ontario offers organizations a fresh perspective to assist the people of the organization. No matter if it is a government, association, or business crowd, Jessica Thornton is a perfect speaker for your event. Through unique practical insights for trending topics and years experience speaking to different organizations, Jessica Thornton focuses on changing individuals to make better decisions at work and their lives. No matter if you are holding an in person or virtual event, having an influential speaker such as Jessica Thornton will engage, motivate, and activate the audience to make a change in their lives and inspire action for results to meet organizational goals. Your workforce will benefit from Jessica Thornton's presentations and speeches, with measurable results set to shift the people of the organization and core direction of the company. Book Jessica Thornton speaker for your annual general meeting, conference, summit, or convention in Canada.

How much does it cost to hire Jessica Thornton for a keynote presentation or virtual event?

Jessica Thornton is an expert professional key note speaker with a lot of experience speaking and delivering engaging talks to organizations and audiences in Canada. Each of Speaker Bureau Canada's talent have different ways to assess their fees, and Jessica Thornton speaker fee ranges depending on the size of the audience, event format (in person or virtual), event location, and if the organization booking them is a non profit, association, government department/government agency or business/corporation. The speakers we work with are flexible with their fees, and it is important for us to learn more about your event before we approach them, as it is our role to work for you, and to help you find a speaker within budget. 

Please contact Speakers Bureau of Canada and provide us with your event details so that we can contact Jessica Thornton to check availability or confirm the pricing and associated costs to hire a great speaker like Jessica Thornton for your event. As Jessica Thornton's agent and as a Canadian top speaker bureau and talent agency for speakers, we are able to propose each event opportunity from each host organization's behalf to try to help you get in touch with Jessica Thornton and confirm them for your in person or online meeting/event. We can also provide and advise on the booking process and potentially negotiate their fee. Speakers Canada is a client focused speaker agency, and we work for you in finding good speakers for your team meetings and booking processes.

Jessica Thornton Disclaimer

Speakers Bureau Canada assists companies and event planning teams seeking to hire talent like Jessica Thornton for speaking engagements, virtual meetings, conference appearances, training sessions and workshops facilitations. Our Canadian speakers bureau does not claim to exclusively represent Jessica Thornton, however they are represented by Speakers Canada, and we work with them closely for their Canadian speaking opportunities and bookings. As Canada's top speaker bureau, we represent Canadian motivational keynote speakers and professional guest speakers that will be available on your upcoming events date and location that are withing the budget. Our talented bureau speaker booking agency can help find business speakers or celebrity speakers that aligns with each organization, audience, event theme and the topic themes you hope for the speaker to address in their presentation. 

When SBC receives a request to book Jessica Thornton we provide you with their speaker fees, travel costs and check their schedules. We work closely with the host organization's event planning team and the speaker to handle the logistics and to relay or negotiate associated costs. Our talented team members then will work with our talent directly or their agent/manager/assistant to confirm the Canadian speaker fee and travel expenses, so that event planning teams can receive an official quote for the speaker appearing at the event. Speaker fees and travel costs vary per speaker and our role is to contact Jessica Thornton about your event, after we have connected with the event organizers to learn all the event details and/or conference program. Each booking request is unique since session durations and audience sizes can vary which may affect the speaker's fees. If you are looking to hire Jessica Thornton, we recommend filling out the booking request form so a booking agent from Speakers Bureau Canada can get in touch with our talent to help you coordinate with your team to engage the speaker for a successful event.