Zhiming Zhao

Chief Information Security Officer, Minnesota Judicial Branch

Britney Cole

Chief Information Officer, Blanchard

*Top 25 Chief Innovation Officers of 2024 and 2025 (Women We Admire) As Chief Innovation Officer and Head of the Blanchard Innovation Lab, I lead a team of passionate and creative professionals who are dedicated to creating and launching new leadership and personal growth solutions that make a meaningful difference for leaders and learners of all kinds. With over 20 years of experience in the corporate learning and development industry, I have a deep understanding of the skills and strategies that enable individuals and organizations to achieve their goals and thrive in the future of work. My mission is to help people have better days at work and at home, by empowering them with the tools and mindsets that foster collaboration, engagement, and growth. I leverage design thinking as a user-centered approach to design and deliver solutions that are scientifically-based, artistically beautiful, and impactful. I am also a co-founder of Bolster Leadership, a company that offers innovative learning experiences to build better humans for a brighter future. Additionally, I am a certified judge for the Chief Learning Officer LearningElite program, a prestigious award that recognizes excellence in learning and development. I am also an author, speaker, and thought leader on topics such as leadership development, design thinking, innovation, and agile working teams.

Patrick Williamson

Chief Information Officer, Array Behavioral Care

I am a strategic business leader and technologist passionate about creating innovative solutions to complex issues. I have an empowering leadership style, built on trust and strong relationships, enabling teams to operate at maximum potential. I maintain an expert level ability to design and deploy scalable, secure environments. My teams recognize me for my collaborative approach and team building. I flourish in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced culture with oversight of all aspects of technology. I utilize a bottom-up budgeting approach with clear and consistent reporting to achieve financial targets.

Stephen Kaufman

Chief Architect, Office of the CTO, Microsoft

Stephen Kaufman serves as a Chief Architect in the Microsoft Americas M&I Office of the CTO focusing on AI and Cloud Computing. He brings over 30 years of experience helping customers understand and utilize AI ranging from initial concepts to specific application architectures, design, development to production delivery, operations and governance. He is a builder at heart—designing cloud-native systems, advancing agentic AI patterns, and teaching architects and students how to think in terms of models, agents, guardrails, and scalable intelligence. His work ranges from hands on coding to executive communication, from governance frameworks to keynote level thought leadership. But what truly sets Stephen apart is his ability to translate complexity into momentum. He’s the person organizations call when they’re trying to understand not just what AI can do, but how to make it real, safe, and transformative. He is also a public speaker, keynote speaker and has appeared at a variety of industry conferences nationally and internationally (both public as well as internal Microsoft conferences) over the years discussing AI, application development, integration and cloud computing strategies as well as a variety of other related topics. Stephen is also a published author with three books as well as a number of articles and other published content. In addition, he is a board-certified Distinguished Architect (CITA-D - IASA Global) and continues to work with IASA mentoring, creating content and teaching. As part of IASA, he also serves on the board of directors for the Chief Architect Forum.

Renee Edwards

VP of Software Engineering, Optum

Renee Edwards is a healthcare technology executive with more than two decades of experience in healthcare operations, strategy, and digital transformation. As Senior Vice President of Applied AI at Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group, she leads enterprise initiatives focused on advancing healthcare through technology, data, and innovation. Her leadership experience spans clinical, digital, and consumer engagement platforms. Renee’s work centers on using technology to improve health outcomes, enhance patient and provider experiences, and develop scalable solutions to complex healthcare challenges. Her focus on digital innovation and consumer experience reflects a commitment to improving how people access and manage their health. Beyond her enterprise leadership, Renee serves on the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Technology Association, contributing to the advancement of Minnesota’s technology community through collaboration and innovation. She is also an advocate for women in technology, participating in industry discussions and leadership initiatives focused on engaging, retaining, and empowering women throughout their careers. Renee’s commitment to community extends to her board service with the Carver Scott Humane Society, where she brings her leadership experience and longstanding involvement as a volunteer and foster caregiver to support the organization’s animal welfare mission.