WASHINGTON — September 4, 2025 — The Executive Leadership Council (The ELC) today announced the appointment of Nicole S. Monson as Chief Legal and Human Resources Officer, effective immediately. Monson will oversee The ELC’s enterprise legal strategy, ensure organizational compliance with applicable laws and regulations, lead the human resources function, and support governance and board engagement across the organization’s mission and operations.
Monson joins The ELC with more than two decades of experience spanning employment law, ethics and compliance, data privacy, and human capital strategy. At The Estée Lauder Companies (Estée Lauder), she served as Senior Vice President, Equity & Engagement, leading the company’s Equity & Engagement Center of Excellence to embed practices that advanced talent development, employee experience, and organizational accountability.
“Nicole is a proven enterprise leader who brings a rare mix of legal rigor, people-centered leadership, and systems thinking,” said The ELC President and CEO Michael C. Hyter. “Her track record shows she can translate values into durable policies and practices, providing the type of execution that strengthens culture, mitigates risk, and drives outcomes. We’re thrilled to welcome her to our executive team.”
As SVP & Deputy General Counsel at Estée Lauder, she led global teams in employment law, ethics, and privacy, advising senior leaders on regulatory changes, digital growth, acquisitions, and compliance. She also oversaw the company’s anti-bribery corruption program.
“Joining The ELC is both a professional milestone and a personal commitment to advancing excellence and equity in leadership,” said Monson. “I’m honored to contribute my experience at the intersection of law, people, and purpose to help shape systems that empower executives, strengthen organizational resilience, and build lasting impact across industries.”
Earlier in her career, Monson developed broad-based expertise spanning law and human resources through roles at Ingersoll Rand, Goldman Sachs, Davis and Gilbert LLP and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP. She also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Vicki Miles-LaGrange, former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Monson earned a B.A. in Economics, cum laude, from Spelman College, and a J.D., cum laude, from Howard University School of Law.
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The Executive Leadership Council is an independent non-profit founded in 1986 that opens channels of opportunity for the development of global executives to positively impact business and our communities.
