Ellen Gulachenski

About Ellen Gulachenski

STRATEGIC TECHNOLOGY EXECUTIVE | DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION LEADER | BUSINESS-IT ALIGNMENT SPECIALIST | CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICERAs a strategic technology leader with executive experience across multiple sectors (for-profit, higher education, consulting, and nonprofit), I drive organizational success through technology transformation while building high-performing teams that deliver measurable business value. I\'ve learned that the best technology solutions come from teams who feel valued, challenged, and engaged with organizational priorities. My leadership approach centers on- Aligning technology strategy with enterprise business objectives to generate roadmaps- Identifying and nurturing top IT talent in competitive markets and retaining with an engaging culture- Exceling at turning around struggling IT departments and revitalizing stalled technology initiatives to become strategic assets for business - Translating complex technical decisions into business outcomes for executives and translating business outcomes into technical objectives for IT staff- Delivering measurable results via a hands-on leadership style with deep empathy for users’ needs- Execute strategic digital transformations that enhance competitive advantage and efficiencies while partnering with leaders across the organizationCore competencies include strategic technology vision, executive stakeholder management, enterprise architecture leadership, cybersecurity, governance, and data-driven decision making. Dual US-EU citizenship working across diverse organizational cultures and industries, including education, pharmaceuticals, financial services, consulting, professional education, and retail technology. I am an accomplished, curious, strategic, and inspirational leader. How can my leadership strengthen your organization\'s technology foundation and drive digital innovation?

Experience

1. Chief Information Officer

   City Year

   Jun 2018 — Present

   As a mission-driven change agent at City Year (CY), I support the end users in 29 sites nationally by partnering with CY business leads to leverage IT capabilities in support of our programs. Setting the tone for collaboration with, and support of, teams across the organization, I organize resources and projects in a way that consistently demonstrates the relevance and advantages of technology solutions, encourages innovation that is coordinated across functions and services, and anticipates growth and process improvement opportunities.As a Senior Vice President, I serve as a member of City Year Senior Leadership Team, report to the Chief Financial Officer within City Year\'s headquarters, co-chair the ITS User Advisory Committee, and have these responsibilities- Created an enterprise AI Adoption strategy for the organization that encompasses training, governance, and piloting new AI solutions- Developed a 5-year, future technology vision for the organization, including Workday and Salesforce, and for our sophisticated analytics to measure the organization’s impact on the students we serve- Lead a team of IT professionals with a high retention rate and high user satisfaction rating, organized into 3 teams:(i) enterprise application systems,(ii) data management & network, cybersecurity, and collaboration which includes real estate and facilities- Serve as subject matter expert for enterprise architecture, developing and aligning technology resources with business needs, including student progress monitoring, fundraising and donor management, and human resources- Manage leases in 28 cities, standardized relocation process, oversee all services for CY Boston/Headquarters building, including subleasing part of building to raise more revenue.

Education

• University of Notre Dame

  M.S, Electrical Engineering

  1987 — 1989

• Yale University

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Electrical and Electronics Engineering

  1983 — 1987

Skills

• Analysis
• Business Process
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• IT Strategy
• Project Management
• Program Management
• Staff Development
• Crm
• Itil
• Vendor Management
• Integration
• Agile Methodologies
• Business Planning
• Operations Management
• Analytics
• Business Development