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My passion is working with companies and boards of directors who value game changing…
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisToday has already been extraordinary and it’s only 11:30am. At 6am, I was interviewing a senior technology executive who is running a frontier quantum computing team for one of the most prominent tech companies in the world. Then, like most Fridays, I try to carve out 30 minutes to go to Mark Day School and attend assembly. I do this for two reasons….first, I am on the board of trustees and second, I want a sliver of a view into what my kids are learning. The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura from Paraguay was visiting Mark Day School and performed several songs. They created their instruments from what others call garbage (think corks, corn cans, paint cans etc). I’m pinching myself right now. I’m hugely optimistic about our future and I’m passionate about my role shaping leadership teams who take us there. Yet, every day I am awakened by how complex and wonderful this world already IS.
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisThank you Anjali S. for inviting me to join! Loved the energy and grateful to have had the opportunity to share insights on leadership from Heidrick & Struggles Technology & AI Officers Practice perspective.Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisHappy Friday! There is nothing quite like ending a full week at the center of the work I am privileged to lead. The Deloitte CIO Program team never ceases to amaze me. We are always building new experiences for technology leaders, and the inaugural cohort of our Tech Leadership Academy was exactly that. Our inaugural Tech Leadership Academy brought together an incredible cohort to sharpen the capabilities that matter most at the next level: executive presence, boardroom influence, AI fluency, stakeholder alignment, and enterprise decision-making. Three days of simulation, coaching, and honest conversation about what it really takes to lead technology at the top right now. With an amazing cohort of clients and executives who showed up ready to do the work. Grateful for the incredible speakers who brought their perspectives and experience directly to our clients: Carla Harris , Rob Carter, Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon, Conor Grennan, Earl Newsome, Jansen McGuire, CFA, and Paul Stephens. And to our faculty for the coaching and facilitation they brought to every session. Our CIO Advisory Council deserves a special callout. The access, experience, and real talk they brought into that room is something you simply cannot get anywhere else. They did not just advise. They coached, challenged, and invested in this cohort in a way that made all the difference. I am especially grateful to our clients for their trust and confidence in Deloitte to help shape their priorities, leadership narratives, and the stories they will carry back into their organizations. It has never been a better time to be a technology leader. I am grateful I get to play a role in that. To my co-dean and partner Steve Pratt, we make a great team. And to the full CIO Program team, none of this happens without you. Jay Crotts John T Marcante Sam Deshpande Sean Lennon Aarti Shah Daniel Torunian Paul Steinberg Karenann Terrell Kat Rudd Andrew Martin Peel Eugene O'Callaghan Sophie Cienski Paul Leuck Patrick Gillespie Andrew Do Angelle McBride Petersen Natalie Andrus Katherine (Katie) Lohwasser, CIA, CRMA Jennifer Rood Ramya Venkatesh
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisHeidrick & Struggles Partners had a fun night out with Cynthia Rowley at her studio in Tribeca. Lucky gals 🍀!
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisOn the ‘Techfluential’ podcast, Moderna’s Tracey Franklin and Heidrick & Struggles’ Katie Graham Shannon discuss how tech leaders can rearchitect work to meet the demands of today—and in doing so position themselves for the next big role. https://bit.ly/4t57uCIModerna, Heidrick & Struggles Execs Talk AI ExecutionModerna, Heidrick & Struggles Execs Talk AI Execution
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reposted thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reposted thisAs AI reshapes how work gets done, organizations are rethinking how technology, people, and strategy come together. In this article from Deloitte and The Wall Street Journal, Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shares insights alongside Moderna’s Tracey Franklin on how closer alignment between HR and IT is helping drive technology adoption, cultural change, and new ways of working. From building excitement around AI to increasing tech fluency across the C-suite, the piece highlights what leaders must do to turn innovation into impact. Learn more in this article by Lou DiLorenzo: https://bit.ly/4sdf1iQ #Leadership #AI #HR #DigitalTransformation
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisI recently joined Lou DiLorenzo and Tracey Franklin on the Techfluential podcast to talk about how technology leadership is evolving—and how quickly expectations are changing. In my work with CEOs, boards, and leadership teams, I’m seeing roles broaden well beyond “CIO.” Titles are changing, scope is expanding, and boards are more involved in these leadership decisions than they were even a decade ago. The through-line: organizations want enterprise leaders who can drive change, not just run technology. A few takeaways from our discussion: Storytelling is a differentiator—leaders need to meet each audience where they are and make the path forward easy to follow. Culture “impact” matters more than culture “fit.” Real change is iterative, fast, and rarely perfect. AI is now part of almost every leadership conversation—and it can’t sit with one person alone. Every leader has to participate. Thank you, Lou, for the thoughtful conversation—and Tracey for bringing such a practical lens to “how work gets done.” Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gaRCARKx #Techfluential #TechnologyLeadership #Boardroom
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reposted thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reposted thisTechnology, HR, and finance leaders are facing one of the biggest shifts in modern business: bringing humans and AI into productive harmony. This new article by Ryan Bulkoski, Jaimee Eddington, Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon, and Brad Warga highlights three areas of focus leaders can prioritize today to ensure AI drives real enterprise value. #AI #DigitalTransformation #Leadership #HR
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisOur Digital & Technology Officers Practices at Heidrick & Struggles continues to be at the forefront along with our clients. We're happy to share trends on what great leadership looks like in this ever changing and dynamic market.Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisIn a world where technology is the backbone of innovation and growth, today’s CTOs, CIOs, and digital leaders face increasing pressure to drive transformation, build resilient organizations, and shape future-ready strategies. Our global Technology Officers practice partners with companies to identify, assess, and develop visionary tech leaders — helping businesses stay ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Explore our team of experts and learn how we support clients across executive search, leadership development, and succession planning: https://bit.ly/4otwLVT #TechnologyLeadership #CTO #CIO #ExecutiveSearch #DigitalTransformation #LeadershipDevelopment
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisAmazing news for Brian Franz and Estee Lauder Companies! Excited to watch your continued impact and success and grateful to have been part of your journey getting here.Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon shared thisToday, we are pleased to announce the appointment of Brian Franz as Chief Technology, Data & Analytics Officer. In this first-ever combined role, Brian will lead the strategic evolution of our global data and technology ecosystem—driving innovation and building capabilities that empower our brands, markets, and functions. Join us in celebrating Brian and learn more: https://lnkd.in/gmcr3gsy
Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon commented on a post
3mo
Kate St John - SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!
ICONIQ is fantastic and you will add such amazing value.
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisWhat separates the greatest technology leaders from the rest? In this second clip from my conversation with Rob Carter, we explore what it takes to lead at the highest level. Rob is the former EVP & CIO of FedEx, now a board member at New York Life, Quest Diagnostics, University of Memphis, and a Senior Advisor to the Pentagon. We discuss how to build an intentional culture, how he set the gold standard for what a revenue-driving, board-level CIO looks like, how to navigate successive waves of technological change without losing the plot, and Rob's history of public service supporting American national security, from 9/11 to the AI race. If you're a technology leader aspiring toward greatness, I'd recommend this one. https://lnkd.in/gb4Hyd72 ICONIQ Stan McChrystal "team of teams" United States Department of War Dan C. National Counterterrorism Center University of South Florida University of South Florida Muma College of Business Saks Fifth Avenue First Horizon Bank Deloitte Stolt-NielsenWhat separates the greatest technology leaders? | Key insights for tech executives & IT leadersWhat separates the greatest technology leaders? | Key insights for tech executives & IT leaders
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisI was a bit stunned when I got to know Rob Carter well enough to realize that, despite being a legendary tech executive, he wasn't a workaholic and never had been during his three decades at the top of the business world. Rob spent those years at FedEx, most of them as CIO. Today he serves on the boards of New York Life and Quest Diagnostics, chairs the Board of Trustees at the University of Memphis, and is a Senior Advisor to the Pentagon. I'm pleased to finally share the first of several snippets from a conversation with Rob on the lessons he's taught me over the years and some of the great stories from his journey. This first one is about the concept he credits with keeping him effective, creative, and energized across thirty years at the top: the Balance Wheel.
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon liked thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon liked thisGreat to be in San Francisco for the World Economic Forum’s inaugural Chief AI Leaders community gathering. Following an evening of thought-provoking discussions at Anthropic, the next day's conversations could have gone in any number of directions. What I appreciated most was the optimism in the room around AI and its current and future applications, whether in the classroom, the living room, or the boardroom. Also great to finally meet a few familiar names in person, including Deep Ratna Srivastav, Tushar N Shah, and Dr. Valerie Feldmann, and make some new connections with Jörg Fischer CA(SA), Bryan Harris, and many others.
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisWhat an honor to join Peter High on his podcast, Technovation with Peter High. We talked about transformation, how data, technology, and AI are supporting innovation at Cencora’s scale, and the importance of trust in value realization. As I reflect on our conversation, there are three things that stood out to me. ✔ Transformation succeeds when it is “center-out.” An amazing leadership challenge we have today is that the velocity of technological change is faster than we are ready to adopt and bring our workforce along. Technology, data, and AI are powerful tools that will only be as effective as our ability to deliberately use them to create high-touch, high-tech experiences. I am a strong believer in human potential and in people’s ability to grow through change. As leaders, we need to drive “center-out” change rather than a “top-down” or “bottoms-up” approach. A "center-out" approach means giving people space to understand the art of the possible while meeting our teams where technological change is happening directly. No transformation can be successful unless people are at the center of it. ✔ Scale necessitates outcomes, not outputs. Every day, Cencora ships 5M+ pharmaceuticals, including complex specialty medicines, to tens of thousands of healthcare providers in the U.S. alone, ensuring patients have reliable access to the medication they need. As a purpose-driven, global, Fortune 10 organization, even a small improvement applied across the enterprise can create meaningful, exponential value. But this value is only realized if we can prioritize and stay focused on outcomes, not outputs. Value creation must be grounded in supporting patient access, creating better customer experiences, and strengthening business outcomes. This is how we can drive sustainable rather than episodic value creation for those we are privileged to serve. ✔ We must earn trust in every interaction. AI offers tremendous benefits that will continue to accelerate speed and compute for organizations. But what AI can’t replace is authenticity or bringing people along through change. I believe that the qualities that make us human, including how we can think, learn, unlearn, and challenge our own assumptions all at the same time, remain central to how we build trust. AI models can help us go from patterns to prompts, but humans alone have the capability to change patterns. The ability to be human and build trust allows us to truly unlock the art of the possible. I learn something new every time Peter and I connect, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to join him on this episode. I invite you to listen to our full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/e95dSHPE
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisI have a bad habit of referring to Banff as a startup. After last week’s trip to London, I may finally need some new material. When I lived in London, Banff didn’t exist. Last week, I came back to a room filled with 60 senior leaders from across Europe who had all come together through Banff, hosted by the person now leading our European office. It was an incredible way to make me feel both nostalgic and very proud. On the flight home, I went through all the follow-ups from the evening and realized Banff has grown into something much bigger than the little startup I still sometimes picture in my head. Clare Buxton is leading our European business and has built an extraordinary community around Banff in the region. We have a team that can bring an evening like this to life, and other businesses are now growing and emerging under the Banff umbrella (more to come soon there). Clients are building meaningful relationships with their advisors and with one another, people I have never met, which feels exactly how this is supposed to work. Philip Collins and I kicked off the night with a conversation about leadership communication, distinctive voices and whether AI will help people express themselves or make everyone sound exactly the same. We kept things candid and that led to some pretty fascinating and transparent conversations. The follow-ups also made clear how many people are genuinely rooting for Banff. They believe in what we’re building, want us to succeed and are actively finding ways to help. You can put plenty of things in a business plan, but you can’t manufacture that. Banff is growing up, and I could not be more thrilled. As a founder, it’s incredibly rewarding to watch other people take the reins and make the company better. Thank you to Clare, Philip, Lauren Mello, Vanessa Bowers and the wider Banff team who made the evening happen. And thank you to everyone who has helped turn this into something much bigger and more special than I ever imagined.
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisThis summer, I saw incredible innovation across Global Technology & Operations and Prudential Financial – innovation that is driving real business impact, powered by great people and fresh thinking. A few moments brought that to life... • At our intern hackathon, teams used AI to make SEC filing reviews faster and easier. • At the Finance Tech Expo, our partnership with Yanela Frias and the Finance team showcased tech-enabled solutions for everyday finance challenges – simplifying work, strengthening execution, and helping teams move faster with better insight. • In Japan, teams are working more closely across business and technology to bring solutions to market faster – focusing on what creates value and improving experiences. Different teams and settings, but the same takeaway: our teams are thinking differently and finding smarter ways to serve customers and the business. For me, that is the real story of innovation: not technology for technology’s sake, but people staying close to the business, moving with curiosity, and creating real value. I’m heading into fall energized by where we’re going – and grateful for the people helping us get there.
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisMy first trip to India and first in-person town-hall since joining UnitedHealth Group in the books. Multiple cities, a week of tech deep dives, roundtables, skip-levels, dinners, and more hallway conversations than I planned for. Nearly 700 handshakes. More selfies than I can count. What I didn't expect — the energy I'd come back with. What stood out wasn't a roadmap or a platform update. It was the candor. People telling me directly where they thought we were getting it right — and where we weren't. That doesn't always happen when an exec visits. My job is to understand the work well enough to amplify it. After this week, I have a lot to amplify. One thing kept coming up across every city, every conversation: One Team. One Outcome. I've said those words before. Put them on slides. After this week, they hit differently. Great teams are built with great people - I now have confidence and proof Thank you to everyone who made time, shared what was really on your mind, and showed up — all 700 of you. To the other 1,000: I'm coming for you next. What's one thing you'd want a visiting leader to actually understand about your work? #Optum #UnitedHealthGroup #AI #oneteam #oneoutcome #selfies
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisKatherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisTIME put me on a list today. It’s their first-ever Executives of the Year: Tech & Data. (They also filmed me taking a “leadership test.” Judge for yourself whether I passed.) The irony of being recognized by TIME is that time is the whole job, on fantastically different scales. A new medicine takes 10 to 15 years to reach patients. Each round of designing, making, testing, and analyzing a candidate molecule takes weeks. A manufacturing line can’t be down for even a minute. And LillyPod, our supercomputer, does more calculations than every human in history has done by hand — in under a second. I didn’t build any of that. People at Lilly did — people who are impatient in exactly the right way. Patients are waiting. So we can’t. See the list: https://lnkd.in/gSry-3NP #WeAreLillyDiogo Rau Is one of TIME's 2026 Executives of the Year: Tech and DataDiogo Rau Is one of TIME's 2026 Executives of the Year: Tech and Data
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Katherine (Katie) Graham Shannon reacted on thisA year ago, I joined Optum Insight obsessed with the idea of simplifying healthcare with AI. After all the opportunity to serve all our provider, payer and life sciences clients with the best responsible AI capabilities and partners was tremendous. That obsession, that opportunity in my mind is even stronger today. What I didnt anticipate was that the Optum Insight leadership team will have even more incredible passion for this goal. That their talent will inspire me every single day. That they will take extraordinary steps to begin modernizing the existing rails of American healthcare as we create new ones. What I also didnt anticipate that the new capabilities we are beginning to build will mean so much for the patient experience especially in the products and services about to be launched with partners. It's also been a year of airport gates, hotel lobbies, countless cups of coffee and more than a few Spotify playlists. Every mile has been worth it for the learning. I am grateful to the Optum Insight clients and teams for their efforts and momentum they are driving. Looking forward to going #100X together Steve Yurjevich Erin Satterwhite Kristie Richardson Lou DiLorenzo Aline Schellhas Rebecca Lieberman Tom Roos Tony Clapsis Ed Bowen, PhD Joe Cahill Molly J. Andrew J. Ploszay Julie Durham Kathryn Mihalevich Laura Range
Experience & Education
Publications
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Can CIOs do it all?
Heidrick & Struggles
See publicationExpectations are at an all-time high for CIOs, as the role of the IT function radically evolves. How can organizations set up CIOs for success?
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WHY SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL OFFICERS DON’T ALWAYS HAVE “DIGITAL” IN THEIR TITLE
Heidrick & Struggles
See publicationDigital leaders can come from a range of roles and titles as long as they have the right attributes and experience to be change agents.
Organizations
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Women's Corporate Directors
Member
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Project Zawadi
Philanthropist and former Board Member
- PresentProject Zawadi is a non-profit organization founded in December 2000. Our mission is to provide educational opportunities within a nurturing environment to orphaned and other vulnerable children in Tanzania so that they become self-reliant and active members of their communities. Katie began her involvement with Project Zawadi ((Za•wa•di – meaning “gifts that are enriching”) in 2004. Since 2007, She has led the design, development and fund raising ($70K) for the Sunshine Initiative and…
Project Zawadi is a non-profit organization founded in December 2000. Our mission is to provide educational opportunities within a nurturing environment to orphaned and other vulnerable children in Tanzania so that they become self-reliant and active members of their communities. Katie began her involvement with Project Zawadi ((Za•wa•di – meaning “gifts that are enriching”) in 2004. Since 2007, She has led the design, development and fund raising ($70K) for the Sunshine Initiative and Little Sprouts Kindergarten. The Sunshine Initiative resulted in raising $50,000 to build one teacher’s residence, three classrooms, and the selection of 29 newly sponsored children. Also as a result of the fundraising efforts, the Sunshine Initiative kept many existing sponsored children in school for at least the next three years. Little Sprouts Kindergarten was announced in 2011 and focuses on including the younger children in the region to also attend school in their own building.
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