Liz Elam is a coworking pioneer, entrepreneur, futurist, and speaker helping shape the future of work and community.
In 2010, she founded Link Coworking in Austin, Texas, growing it to three locations before selling the business in 2019. The sale made her the first woman globally to exit a coworking brand.
Liz founded the Global Coworking Unconference Community (GCUC) in 2011. Under her leadership, it has become the world’s largest coworking conference, bringing operators, industry leaders, and innovators together across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Africa.
In 2026, she co-founded The Coworking Institute with fellow industry pioneer Jonathan O’Byrne. The Institute provides practical education for workspace operators, from foundational training to an application-based Coworking MBA, helping them build stronger, more sustainable businesses.
A graduate of the University of Houston’s foresight certificate program, Liz brings a futurist’s perspective to conversations about work, hospitality, and how people connect. She shares those insights as a consultant, keynote speaker, and host of the biweekly GCUC Podcast.
At the heart of her work is a belief: coworking can help address loneliness. Liz champions spaces that combine sound business practices with meaningful human connection, supporting both the people who run them and their communities.