Introducing Our New Chief of Staff, Iris Gardner
We are excited to introduce you to Iris! Iris is our new Chief of Staff, partnering across the organization to strengthen systems, support strategy, and help bring Moonshot’s vision to life. Get to know more about Iris’s journey and what she’ll be leading as part of the Moonshot team.
introducing IRIS
In her role as Chief of Staff, Iris Gardner partners closely with CEO, Kat Ling, to operationalize Moonshot’s vision, ensuring the team has the clarity and "right-sized" systems needed to disrupt systemic inequities for youth.
Iris joins Moonshot with a career-long dedication to building the systems and leadership infrastructure that allow mission-driven teams to thrive. Most recently, she served as the Chief of Staff to the COO at Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), where she led organization-wide goal-setting frameworks, data-driven performance tracking, and the intentional rebuilding of organizational culture. With a background that spans from founding her own business to serving as a leader of workforce engagement strategy at 2U (following the $750M acquisition of Trilogy Education Services), Iris is a "strategic architect" who is energized by the complexity of scaling organizations.
She has spent years cultivating diverse talent pipelines – from managing multi-million dollar workforce grants to leading hiring committees at big tech firms. As a leader, she is passionate about that "firing on all cylinders" moment where clear communication, psychological safety, and aligned talents transform a group of individuals into an unstoppable team.
Iris’ leadership is grounded in a deep commitment to equity and community, supported by her academic roots at Pomona College (BA) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MBA). While she was born and raised in Denver, Iris is a lifelong traveller and thrill-seeker who once bungy jumped from 443 feet in New Zealand – a testament to her belief that choosing the bold, sometimes difficult path is exactly what leads to the most impactful growth.
What is a project that you are especially excited to work on during your first year at Moonshot? Why?
I am particularly excited to build out Moonshot’s "organizational rhythms" – the systems and cadences that clarify how we make decisions and how information flows across our remote-first team. There is nothing more rewarding to me than building the foundation that allows a high-performing team to feel truly "unstoppable."
What is a local and/or small business that you love?
As a Denver local with a passion for community and food justice (and having served on the board of Metro Caring), I have a ton of love for TeaLee’s Tea House & Bookstore in Five Points. It’s a beautiful, Black-owned space that celebrates community, conversation, and culture. It’s also a reminder of my childhood spent reading books in the attic of the Hue-Man Experience Bookstore (same founders) while my dad attended community organizing meetings. TeaLee’s is the perfect example of a local business that doesn't just provide a service but creates a sense of belonging—much like the ecosystem we strive to build at Moonshot.
What is a book that you think is inspiring that the Moonshot community at-large might benefit from?
For those who want to stay informed while not getting caught in a doom scroll, I highly recommend NPR’s ‘Up First’ podcast. It gives you the top three news stories of the day in under 15 minutes. And, if I want to dig deeper into a topic, I listen to NPR’s ‘Sunday Story’ or Vox’s ‘Today Explained’.
Iris at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
What does Moonshot’s mission and vision mean to you? How does it personally resonate with you, your experiences, and your identity?
Moonshot’s mission resonates with a core belief that the most effective solutions come from the communities closest to the challenges. Throughout my career – from my time at Google and MLT to starting my own business – I have seen the power of shifting resources and agency to BIPOC and marginalized leaders.
To me, Moonshot’s vision isn't just about a one-time Fellowship; it’s about collective liberation. As a BIPOC woman who has often had to choose the "bold path" while navigating complex systems, I am committed to building the equitable infrastructure that ensures our Fellows and their peers don’t just launch programs, but they lead sustainable, joyful movements that transform our city, and beyond.
Iris and her partner Erik with sons Kalir and Imari.