In this episode, we spotlight “Baby Boomer” Sue Schade, CIO of the University of Michigan Hospitals & Health Centers. We share Sue’s inspiring story focused on a career that spans three decades.

Sue has spent over 30 years in the world of technology management and shared some great tips on leadership. Sue started as a developer but a year later moved into a business analyst position. She then was asked to move into management and lead a newly-formed team, before becoming a regional CIO.

How did Sue make the leap into management? The first thought that came to her when asked to manage was: “I don’t know what these people do!” She quickly realized that was okay, as long as she could ask the right questions and oversee the work. She learned a lot along the way, including the following crucial management tips:

Be very genuine and authentic as a person
Be clear about your values
Lead by example
Think strategically and execute

For women leaders she says it’s not easy. You have to recognize your own strengths and be true to yourself. She wants women in technology to know they don’t have to manage like men to be effective, but develop their own unique styles.

Sue says she “grew up” in an organization over a 12 year period where she eventually became a regional CIO. During this time she took a number of courses to help develop her skills. In her opinion, you can learn skills, but you have to develop your own personal leadership style. She now has a large role as CIO of the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health System, frequently named as one of the top 10 healthcare systems in the United States.

More recently, Sue has been very actively speaking out on women in technology. A diverse workforce she believes is vital for competing in a global economy, and the numbers around women in technology and STEM are way behind. But Sue says that it is not just about the numbers, it’s about the applications and innovations that come from diverse people collaborating. Do we have a balanced viewpoint from the perspective of both women and men?

You can learn more about Sue Schade by visiting her Health IT Connect blog at www.sueschade.com.

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In this first episode, we profiled Technology Diva Carrie Borchers on her career journey in sales and technology. Carrie began by telling us how she first entered the world of technology. She graduated with a liberal arts degree, an undergraduate degree in Psychology and minor in Spanish and Dance. Her first job out of college was at the Boy Scouts of America as a Business Development Manager.

Through this career, she gained experience in both sales and marketing. She left the nonprofit world and worked at various marketing agencies. As technology evolved in the marketing space, she learned to adapt to stay ahead of the game. She became the second woman and first saleswoman at IT Resource Inc., a professional services firm, which is now celebrating 100% growth in 7 years. They have, on average, 50% women working for them.

She threw herself into technology sales, quickly learning the industry and all the main players with her work at a Michigan based technology reseller. Learning quickly helped her stay up to date in a fast-moving industry. She follows Wired, CRN, and other industry blogs to continue to be on top of the latest trends. She also follows Cisco, Microsoft, and other companies in both traditional and social media to help navigate the landscape. Carrie also reads content her buyers are reading to gain perspective.

Carrie shared with us some of her insight into the trends she thinks are changing the industry around Internet of Things (IoT). She is fascinated with the trend of health sensors like the Aria Scale and her Fitbit. She believes that IoT can help make business more efficient as it breaks out of the consumer market.

For other women looking to enter the technology field, Carrie suggests reaching out to trade groups like the Michigan Women’s Foundation who host Camp Moxie, reaching out to other professionals on LinkedIn, and networking through the Michigan Council of Women in Technology (MCWT). She suggests women be open to approach others proactively and not be afraid to take risks. She concludes with an analogy that men often "leap before they look", while women tend to be more cautious in their career moves. She encourages women to try to push themselves to "leap and look" at the same time. She believe the risk is worth it.

Carrie now serves as the Regional Sales Director for Blue Medora (https://bluemedora.com).

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Ep 8: Rising Up with Sue Schade

Ep 1: Carrie Borchers: from Professional Scouter to Sales Director