As technology takes a central role in most enterprises, organizations are looking for talent at the top of their game to lead them into the next phase of digital maturity. Congratulations to these technology leaders who have stepped into a new role and are preparing to level-up with their organizations.
Roxanne Seymour – Chief Information Officer at Beazer Homes
Beazer Homes, one of the country’s largest homebuilders, selected Roxanne Seymour as their new Chief Information Officer. Seymour brings 36 years of experience, having served in a variety of leadership roles such as Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President at Serta Simmons Bedding, LLC, Senior Director of Information Technology Strategy and Planning at Carter’s and OshKosh B’gosh, and Senior Director of the Program Management Office at Sage Software.
Sheila Carpenter – Chief Information Officer at Everbridge
Everbridge, Inc., the global leader in critical event management and national public warning software systems, recently appointed Sheila Carpenter as the organization’s Chief Information Officer. Carpenter brings over 25 years of experience within the software IT space and will help Everbridge continue its growth as the market leader in critical event management.
Jodie Penrod – Chief Information Officer at Marshall University
Jodie Penrod will serve as the Chief Information Officer at Marshall University and will help transform its information technology capabilities. Her previous positions include the Senior Director of Technology at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens, Ohio, and Director of Applications and IT Project Manager for Holzer Medical.
Ken Venner – Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Sierra Space
Sierra Space has named former SpaceX executive Ken Venner as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. With almost 40 years of experience, Venner has provided innovative technologies for several of the world’s leading companies, including e-Share, SpaceX, and Broadcom. Chief Operating Officer Jeff Babione said that he is confident that Ken will “play a significant role in helping the company continue to expand and build platforms in space to help benefit life on Earth.”
Alice Fournier – Chief Information Officer, Americas at ISS A/S
ISS A/S (ISS) recently appointed Alice Fournier as Chief Information Officer for the Americas, leading the company’s deployment of IT and digital systems across the region. Alice brings 20 years of experience driving transformation in various organizations through products, services, and technology.
Dr. Suresh Subbaratinam – Chief Technology Officer at Avint
Avint, a fast-growing federal cybersecurity and management consulting firm, recently named Dr. Suresh Subbaratinam as Chief Technology Officer. He brings over 20 years of technology leadership to Avint and will help accelerate their growth trajectory to ensure future success in the marketplace. Subbaratinam has a patent pending on Cybersecurity Vulnerability/Risk Prediction using Machine Learning/Deep Learning Algorithms, making him an excellent fit for the company.
Patricia Watson – Chief Information Officer at NCR
NCR, a leading enterprise technology provider, recently announced that Patricia Watson joined the company as its new Chief Information Officer. Watson is a seasoned technology executive who brings vendor and risk management, contract negotiation, supply chain direction, and business continuity experience to NCR. She joins NCR following 20 years of experience as a CIO at companies including Bank of American and The Brink’s Company and 10 years of service in the United States Air Force.
Pam Presswood – Chief Information Officer at Valor
Pam Presswood has been selected as the new Chief Information Officer at Valor, a professional service provider specializing in mineral rights management and software-based business solutions. Before joining Valor, Presswood worked with Luther King Capital Management, where she served as Vice President of Information Systems. She will lead Valor’s IT Department’s initiatives–including her specialty of cybersecurity, providing immediate value to its stakeholders.
Cory Wilburn – Chief Information Officer at the Texas McCombs School of Business
Corey Wilburn has been named Chief Information Officer for the Texas McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas. A Texan to the core, Wilburn earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communication from Texas Tech University. He has worked with the Texas Land Board as a Business Analyst and just finished a 17-year stint at the Texas General Land Office where he most recently served as the Chief Information Officer.
Lyra Waggoner – Chief Information Officer at Movement Mortgage
Movement Mortgage recently welcomed Lyra Waggoner as their new Chief Information Officer. Waggoner, a mortgage industry veteran, brings 18 years of experience to the table including various leadership roles – her most recent one being SVP of Caliber Home Loans.
Trey Keisler – Chief Information Officer at GE Gas Power
GE has promoted Trey Keisler from CIO of Enterprise Systems & Supply Chain to CIO of GE Gas Power, helping to lead the company in its decarbonization of the energy sector. Keisler has been with GE for 14 years in and is looking forward to his new role.
Manik Tewari – Chief Information Officer at LifeScience Logistics
LifeScience Logistics recently appointed Manik Tewari as Chief Information Officer. Tewari brings years of leadership experience to the table, formally serving as Chief Information Officer for organizations including Pilot Thomas Logistics, AACSB International, and Toyo Tires.
Sreeveni Kancharla – Chief Information Office at Coalfire
Sreeveni Kancharla is returning to the security industry, stepping in as the new Chief Information Officer at Coalfire. Her most recent ventures include serving as the VP of IT and CIO at UserTesting, Head of IT at Unison, and Head of IT & Business Operations at UserZoom. Kancharla has a passion for security and an impressive background of driving digital transformation across various industries.
Tripp Sessions – Vice President of Information Technology at Hai Hospitality
Tripp Sessions was chosen as Hai Hospitality’s new Vice President of Information Technology. Sessions brings over two decades of experience, ranging from Chief Executive Officer at Fathom Technology Partners to Senior Vice President, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at TGI Fridays, amongst other leadership roles.
Scott Leazer – Executive Director of Enterprise Applications at RaceTrac
Scott Leazer has been selected as Executive Director of Enterprise Applications at RaceTrac. He recently finished his tenure at Cox Enterprises, where he spent 21 years serving in different leadership capacities, ending as Vice President of Enterprise Application Services. Leazer will lead RaceTrac’s strategic vision for its technology systems and will manage its expansive portfolio of enterprise applications.
Bill McCulloch – Director of Product Engineering and Software Development at PropertySync
PropertySync hired Bill McCulloch as their new Director of Product Engineering and Software Development. McCulloch will report to the CEO and lead the software development team for PropertySync’s web-based applications and provide leadership, management, and technical vision to the engineering team. McColloch’s previous roles include serving as the Vice President of Software Engineering and Information Technology at BI Incorporated, Director of Information Services at EBMS, and Chief Technology Officer at CareTouch Communications.
J.J. Kirley – Director of Restaurant Systems at Zaxby’s Franchising LLC
J.J. Kirley has been selected as Director of Restaurant Systems at Zaxby’s Franchising LLC, where he will serve to plan, coordinate, and supervise all technology-related activities in Zaxby’s stores. Kirley most recently managed Hooters of America’s IT operations and team of helpdesk support staff. He is a decisive leader with expertise in strategic planning and process implementation, which will serve him well in his new role with Zaxby’s Franchising, LLC.
Andrea Lipo – Chief Information Officer at Cornerstone Advisors
In a strategic executive development, Cornerstone Advisors announced Andrea Lipo as Chief Information Officer. Andrea has been with the firm since 2015, serving as IT lead on two company acquisitions, providing end-to-end oversight on two major corporate expansions, and implementing Cornerstone’s first customer relationship/work management system.
Paul Barber – Chief Information Officer at Planet Fitness
Paul Barber was named Chief Information Officer for Planet Fitness, one of the United States’ fastest-growing operators of fitness centers. Most recently, Barber served as the Senior Vice President of Information Technology at Natural Foods, Inc., which included leading its technology portfolio to support ordering, planning, and customer and supplier management. He also served in various leadership capacities at Airline Report Corporation, Dunkin’ Brands, and Yum! Brands.
Ralph Johnson – Chief Information Security Officer at for Washington State
Washington officials recently announced that Ralph Johnson will become the new statewide Chief Information Security Officer. He is currently the CISO for NantMedia, a newspaper holding company that owns the Los Angeles Times and San Diego Union-Tribune, and previously worked as the top information security official in Los Angeles County and King County, Washington. Johnson will begin his tenure with the State of Washington on December 1st.
Gerhard Eschelbeck – Chief Information Security Officer at Kodiak Robotics
Kodiak Robotics, Inc., a leading self-driving trucking company, has hired Google’s former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) and Vice President of Security and Privacy Engineering Gerhard Eschelbeck as Chief Information Security Officer. Eschelbeck is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost experts on network and transformative security technologies and brings decades of expertise to the table. Eschelbeck also draws from more than 25 years of industry experience, most recently serving as CISO for Aurora.
Grady Ligon – Chief Information Officer at RE/MAX Holdings, Inc.
RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., parent company of RE/MAX announced that Grady Ligon will join as Chief Information Officer (CIO). Ligon has over 20 years of experience in technology and data leadership with a proven track record of upgrading organizational applications of technology and accelerating business growth and expansion. As CIO of RE/MAX Holdings, Inc., Ligon will continue to scale the world-class tech tools, both proprietary and through branded integrations, across the dual-brand franchisor and RE/MAX Holdings’ subsidiary companies.
Suzanne Changus – Chief Technology Officer of the California Department of Technology
California Governor Gavin Newsom named Suzanne Changus the new Chief Technology Officer for the state’s Department of Technology. Changus will leave her role as CIO for the California Prison Industry Authority, where she has been leading the authority’s management information systems, project management office, and strategic business plan.
Rachana Kumar – Chief Technology Officer at Etsy
Etsy, Inc. announced that Rachana Kumar will become the company’s new Chief Technology Officer, starting January 1, 2023. Kumar has been with the company for over eight years and currently serves as Vice President of Engineering. Her most recent accomplishments include launching Etsy’s regional office in Mexico City in just 18 months and building a team of almost 130 employees. Kumar is passionate about using technology for good and strives through her journey at Etsy to use technology to create economic empowerment opportunities for sellers and nurture the company’s global community.
