Jon Peterson is the Senior Director of the HR Business Insights Data Science & Applied Research team. At Microsoft he leads complex, long-term analytics initiatives on high-impact workforce topics, applying advanced methods from data and social sciences fields to uncover actionable insights and inform executive decision-making. His team also pioneers AI-driven solutions within Microsoft HR, promoting responsible practices, and fostering analytical excellence across the organization. Jon has helped shaped company-wide strategies in hiring, D&I, hybrid strategy, L&D, management excellence, and predictive workforce analytics. His varied academic background includes undergraduate degrees in mathematics and English, a master’s in Higher Education Research, and additional graduate coursework in survey methodology, advanced statistical modeling, measurement theory, and experimental design. Prior to Microsoft, Jon spent a decade at the University of Washington conducting educational assessment and program evaluation. His expertise spans both qualitative and quantitative methods, and he is passionate about mentoring, building analytical capacity, and using data to improve human and organizational outcomes.
