Amber D. Simpson, PhD, has built a career defined by her ability to transform organizations through innovative strategies, human capital development and leadership coaching. Her expertise lies in aligning business goals with workforce potential, using technology to identify inefficiencies, improve predictions and create sustainable structures for growth. She is widely recognized for her skill in helping companies restructure for greater effectiveness while guiding executives to unlock their leadership capacity.
Dr. Simpson’s academic background provided the foundation for these accomplishments. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in education administration, leadership and policy studies with a concentration in kindergarten through twelfth grade administration from University of Missouri-Saint Louis. She also completed an executive Master of Business Administration in international business at Saint Louis University after earning a Bachelor of Arts in French language and literature and international business from Washington University.
Dr. Simpson’s achievements have been honored with recognition that includes being named among the Most Influential Business Women and Diverse Business Leaders by the Saint Louis Business Journal, a Young Leader by The St. Louis American Foundation and one of the “40 Under 40” by the Saint Louis Business Journal.
Building on her extensive corporate leadership experience, Dr. Simpson began working as an independent consultant, where she partnered with organizations across industries to assess leadership structures, implement strategic initiatives and develop talent pipelines. Her consulting practice emphasizes executive coaching, leadership development and restructuring initiatives designed to maximize efficiency and improve long-term business performance.
Dr. Simpson’s tenure at Edward Jones represents a significant chapter of her career. As senior learning and performance consultant, she developed the firm’s first unified onboarding program, a milestone achievement that created consistency between field and home office associates across the United States and Canada. The program not only improved employee experience but also resulted in significant cost savings. She was also a senior client experience strategist, contributing to the Client Insights program and leading research that supported a new business model called Discovery. In leadership roles as director and capability strategist and earlier as department leader for recruitment strategies and financial advisor career development, she advanced initiatives that strengthened talent acquisition, leadership development and organizational effectiveness.
Before her work at Edward Jones, Dr. Simpson held several leadership roles at U.S. Bank. As vice president of strategy and insights, she led initiatives designed to improve client engagement and performance. Her earlier role as vice president and manager of national multicultural markets allowed her to launch the bank’s first business resource group focused on supporting African American employees, which became the model for broader diversity, equity and inclusion efforts across the organization.
Dr. Simpson’s career also includes leadership roles in retail and consumer services. At The Home Depot, she managed the regional store leadership program and authored a comprehensive operations manual that streamlined processes for key associates nationwide. At CPI Corp., she launched a new business unit in Mexico, establishing a successful division that strengthened the company’s international presence. Earlier in her career, she contributed to Convergys as team lead for the e-commerce division and worked as an instructor, teaching English as a second language to adults and French and Spanish to students in after school programs.
Dr. Simpson has remained deeply engaged in her profession through affiliations with organizations such as the Association for Talent Development, the Society for Human Resource Management and the National Black MBA Association. Her civic leadership is equally strong. She serves as secretary for Gateway 180, sits on the Dean’s Cabinet for the College of Education at University of Missouri-Saint Louis, and contributes as a board director for Forsyth School and board member for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Her long-standing involvement with Missouri Charter Public School Association and her support for the United Way of Greater St. Louis reflect her dedication to advancing education and community development.
Beyond her professional commitments, Dr. Simpson values time with her husband and daughter. She enjoys traveling, exploring cities through food, collecting vintage jewelry, studying fashion, and encouraging her daughter’s creativity through art and performance.