Quantum Connections Appoints Its Chief Learning Officer, a Retired U.S. Navy Aviator, as Its New CEO

Veteran executive and retired U.S. Naval aviator Jonathan Thorp has been appointed as the new CEO of Dallas-based Quantum Connections, a leader in the science and practice of human connection.

Before being named CEO, Thorp was chief learning officer at Quantum. A longtime advocate for dialogue, empathy, and connected leadership, he will guide Quantum Connections into its next phase of growth as it expands its mission to help people and organizations think, work, and thrive together, the company said.

“Dr. Thorp’s leadership represents a natural evolution of our mission,” Harville Hendrix, co-founder of Quantum Connections, said in a statement. “He brings both the intellect and the empathy to turn dialogue into a practical framework for organizational and cultural transformation.”

Quantum said Thorp’s appointment marks a defining moment for the company, which recently gained national attention for its Net Connected Score research proving that employee connection directly drives engagement, retention, and profitability. As CEO, Thorp will advance that work by deepening the company’s role in addressing the global need for authentic human connection within organizations and across communities.

“The world doesn’t suffer from a lack of communication. It suffers from a lack of connection,” Thorp said. “We have more tools than ever to speak, but fewer habits to understand. My vision for Quantum Connections is to help restore the human art of dialogue: to create workplaces and cultures where people feel seen, heard, and capable of solving complex problems together.”

Connection as business advantage

During his career, Thorp has combined behavioral science, organizational leadership, and communication design to help individuals and teams unlock collaborative intelligence, the company said. At Quantum Connections, Thorp has played a key role in shaping its approach to connection as a measurable, repeatable, and transformative human skill.

“Dialogue has the power to transform not just individual relationships, but entire communities. I’ve witnessed this firsthand: when people commit to truly seeing, hearing, and valuing one another through dialogue, a profound shift takes place,” Helen LaKelly Hunt, co-founder of Quantum Connections, said in a statement. “Dr. Thorp has the vision and leadership needed to help guide society from a culture of individualism to one centered on authentic human connection, using dialogue as the foundation of how we connect, collaborate, and solve problems together.”

As CEO, Thorp will oversee the continued expansion of Quantum’s enterprise programs, research partnerships, and educational initiatives aimed at redefining connection as both a human necessity and a business advantage, the company said.

He brings more than three decades of leadership experience across the military, financial services, academia, and organizational development to his new role.

Before Quantum Connections, Thorp held senior leadership roles at JPMorgan Chase & Co., including vice president of organizational development and talent development, where he led enterprise learning strategy and culture initiatives. Earlier in his career, Thorp spent more than a decade at First Command Financial Services in various executive positions focused on client services and leadership development.

A retired U.S. Navy naval aviator and flight instructor, Thorp served 24 years of active and reserve duty, including as an instructor pilot and leadership faculty member. He still serves as an adjunct professor of leadership and decision-making at both the Naval War College and The American College of Financial Services.