Nicole S. Monson is the Chief Legal and Human Resources Officer for The Executive Leadership Council. She oversees all aspects of human resources, including employee development, while also managing The ELC’s board governance and legal affairs, providing strategic legal counsel and fostering an environment that supports both personal and professional growth.
Nicole brings more than two decades of experience spanning employment law, ethics and compliance, data privacy, and human capital strategy. Most recently, she served as Senior Vice President, Equity and Engagement at The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., where she led the company’s Equity and Engagement Center of Excellence. In this role, she designed and executed enterprise-wide strategies to strengthen employee engagement, expand diverse talent pipelines, and embed equity in workforce practices. She also co-led the Social Impact pillar of Estée Lauder’s ESG strategy.
Previously, as Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Estée Lauder, Nicole oversaw the company’s Employment, Ethics and Compliance, and Data Privacy legal teams. She advised senior leaders on workforce strategy, labor and employment risk, organizational change, and workplace investigations, while leading the company’s global anti-bribery and corruption program.
Nicole’s career includes senior roles at Ingersoll Rand directing worldwide ethics and compliance programs and advising on labor and employment matters, and earlier positions at Goldman Sachs, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, and Davis & Gilbert LLP. She began her legal career as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Vicki Miles-LaGrange, former Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma.
Before entering law, Nicole held roles in finance, accounting, and internal audit—building a strong foundation in business operations and risk management that continues to inform her executive leadership today.
Nicole earned a BA in Economics, cum laude, from Spelman College and a JD, cum laude, from Howard University School of Law. She is a sought-after speaker and has spoken to audiences at venues including the World Economic Forum and Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit. She has been nationally honored with distinctions including The National Black Lawyers – Top 100 Lawyers and the National Diversity Council’s Power 50.
