We power transformational leadership growth
Nobody is born an effective leader
Leaders, like monarch butterflies, are not born – they grow into their beauty and potential. Our mission is to help organizations cultivate consistent leadership growth and develop exceptional, impactful leaders.
Why do we do what we do?
We fundamentally believe that:
- Leadership development shouldn’t happen 15 years after a person becomes a leader.
- You can’t teach effective, lasting leadership skills in a classroom or fancy one-week retreat.
- Leaders and middle managers are busy, and while they have positive intent to learn, they are struggling with doing it regularly and consistently.
In short, traditional leadership development methods fall short of addressing the evolving needs of leaders and organizations seeking impactful, scalable behavior change. Utilizing advanced research, Monark combines 360 assessments, behavioral nudging, evidence-based micro-learning, and generative AI in role play and assessment, to provide unparalleled experiences and support.
We do it because we’re convinced that great leaders are key to solving the world’s most pressing challenges, whether it’s coaxing a five-year-old to bed, building the next Apple, or creating the most fulfilling work experiences. Our goal is simple: to create more Super Leaders in the world.
70% of leaders see positive behavior change
94% of leaders are applying and practicing learnings daily
13% reduction in employee turnover intentions
Solutions for individual growth and organizational change
For People Leaders
Support new and emerging people leaders with the Monark leadership development platform.
For Organizational Health
Uncover organizational strengths and blind spots with an Organizational Health and Effectiveness Profile (OHEP).
For Executive Leaders
Understand executive self-awareness and effectiveness with a Leadership Vigilance Profile (LVP).
Meet our founders
In 2020, two organizational scientists saw a gap in leadership growth programs and set out to build a transformative solution for high-performing, growth-oriented workers.
Kelsey Hahn
CEO & Co-Founder
Kelsey Hahn
CEO & Co-Founder
Kelsey is the CEO and Co-Founder of Monark, the world’s first LRM (Leadership Relationship Management) platform, helping turn new and middle managers into tomorrow’s super leaders. As a former college athlete, Kelsey is incredibly passionate about human behavior and leadership and has spent the past 15 years successfully studying, hiring, assessing, and advising leaders.
She is a published leadership author and has led Monark’s growth to a team of 15 across North America with capital raises of $3 million. Prior to Monark, Kelsey was the Managing Director of Research at Viewpoint Group, a family office and investment organization in Calgary. Kelsey holds an MSc in Organizational Behaviour from Queen’s University, sits on the Calgary Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, and acts as Chair of the Finance, Audit, Investment, and Risk Committee.
Amanda Julian
Chief Science Officer & Co-Founder
Amanda Julian
Chief Science Officer & Co-Founder
As an organizational psychologist Amanda’s passion lies in bridging the gap between leadership research and practice. She holds an MSc and a PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the University of Calgary, and has over 8 years of experience consulting for organizations on leadership development and strategy. She has published in peer-reviewed academic journals such as Personality and Individual Differences and Frontiers in Psychology. As Chief Science Officer, Amanda acts as our internal scientist and product owner, overseeing all product research and development, including managing the overall digital customer experience.
YYC’s Top 10 Startups in 2023
Google for Startups’ Women Founders Program
Our values
Ingenuity
We challenge the status quo and embrace innovation. With curiosity and creativity, we push boundaries to build smarter, AI-driven leadership solutions that transform how people lead and grow.
Integrity
We do what’s right, not what’s easy. Trust is at the core of everything we do—from how we work with our customers to how we lead ourselves. We are transparent, accountable, and committed to ethical decision-making.
Excellence
We set high standards and continuously strive to exceed them. Our commitment to quality, impact, and relentless improvement and innovation drives us to deliver meaningful results for our customers, our team, and the future of leadership.
Inclusivity
At Monark, we strive to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered to be their authentic selves. By embracing diverse perspectives and experiences, we drive innovation, challenge conventional thinking, and develop solutions that help people grow and lead effectively.
Our partners in transformational growth
We actively build partnerships with researchers and industry leaders across the globe, which embodies our dedication to transparency and the application of research evidence to our practices.
Research Partners
We partner with world-leading academic partners and institutions to support validation and collaborate on key research challenges.
Industry Partners
From strategic consultancies to executive coaches, Monark partners with those who are eager to scale their business and impact beyond the C-suite. Our partners are vetted, certified, and trained on Monark’s methodology and software.
Board of Directors & Academic Advisory
Our Board of Directors guides the strategic direction of Monark. Our Academic Advisory Board regularly advises on new and emerging research trends and offers subject matter expertise in the application of industrial organizational psychology/organizational behavior.
Board of Directors
Neil Grunberg
Karen Macdonald
Judy Fairburn
(observer)
Kelsey Hahn
Amanda Julian
Academic Advisory Board
Dr. Nick Turner
Dr. Christina Lacerenza
Learn more about our unique leadership growth methodology
Our team is always eager to talk science, methods, and results.