Ann Upton

I’m an experienced People & Culture leader with 15+ years driving organizational growth, workforce strategy, and high-performance cultures across large, complex, and multi-site environments. My career has spanned retail, tech, and operations - supporting up to 30,000 associates across 350+ locations. 

I’m known for blending people-centric leadership with strategic clarity and operational rigor. I specialize in transforming how organizations hire, engage, develop, and lead their people. From designing leadership development programs and building succession pipelines to scaling digital HR capabilities, I thrive at the intersection of human potential and business strategy. 

My work includes leading multi-region HR operations, talent strategy, workforce planning, employee relations, DEI, change management, and large-scale digital enablement. I’ve delivered enterprise-wide programs, strengthened leadership capability at every level, and improved engagement and performance outcomes across diverse teams and markets. 

In addition to my corporate leadership roles, I’m the Founder of Uptown Foundry - where I help individuals and small businesses grow through advisory, talent consulting, digital branding, and career development. Above all, I’m passionate about shaping workplaces where people feel seen, supported, and equipped to grow - and where strong people strategy becomes a competitive advantage.

 Specialties: HR Strategy • People Operations • Talent Management • Organizational Design • Workforce Planning • Leadership Development • Succession Planning • Change Leadership • Employee Relations • People Analytics • Workday HCM • Culture & Engagement • DEI Strategy

I hold a Bachelor's of Science in Business Management with HR emphasis. In addition, I have certification's in KFALP, Flawless Consulting, HR Law, Certified Learning Strategist (CLS), and am an Allyship Moderator.