Maura Charles is the Founder & CEO of Keep It Human, Inc., a purpose-driven movement helping organizations protect human decision-making authority as AI reshapes work. She spent 25 years driving transformation inside legacy Fortune 500 companies — Time Inc., NBC, Bloomingdale's, Allergan/Botox, Cablevision, the New York Philharmonic — leading cross-functional efforts and translating between business strategy and technical execution.
Through advisory engagements, workshops, and keynotes, Keep it Human helps organizations map where they're vulnerable to AI risks and design what Maura calls an Operating Constitution, a values-driven framework that defines where humans stay in charge. We design Operating Constitutions: practical, living frameworks that protect human judgment, clarify decision authority, and make AI work for you (not the other way around).
“Most AI strategies miss the point: if you lose human authority, you will lose everything.”
Maura Charles
Founder & CEO, Keep it Human
As companies rush to adopt AI, Maura is a vocal advocate for responsible AI and ethical tech development.
Maura is a Long Island native with an M.A. in Writing and a B.A. in Humanistic Studies from Johns Hopkins University. She is a 2026 Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alum and leads the NYC chapter of AI-Powered Women (anchored at MIT). Maura also serves on the Board of Directors for Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts.
Allergan
Time Inc.
Cablevision
NY Philharmonic
NBC
Bloomingdale's
Allergan Time Inc. Cablevision NY Philharmonic NBC Bloomingdale's
“My thinking style is “Conceptual–Social.” What the heck does that mean? Well, I make complex ideas accessible, helping teams connect dots they didn’t know were related. It’s all in the name of simplifying and producing better outcomes.
I’m not the person who clings to rigid systems—I’m the one who helps you reimagine what’s possible and bring your people along for the journey.”
IN MAURA’S WORDS