WashU’s Chief Information Officer and Vice Chancellor for Technology, Jessie Minton, recently was named the 2024 Orbie award winner in the Large Enterprise category by the Inspire Leadership Network. The organization, which has recognized excellence in technology leadership since 1998, honors chief information officers who drive innovation and transform their region through their demonstrated excellence.
“To be recognized with this award by St. LouisCIO and the Inspire Leadership Network is such an honor,” said Minton, who leads the operations and strategy for information technology. “Keeping our promises and holding ourselves accountable for our commitments is a hallmark of our culture in WashU IT. I am proud of the world-class information technology we deliver to our customers and stakeholders in support of the university’s mission.”
Minton noted, “Leading such an amazing team of talented professionals is a privilege. Our leadership team has excelled at executing our major programs, gaining trust from our stakeholders, and we are now regarded as trusted strategic partners, which is the central mission of our IT Strategic Plan, ImpacT.”
ImpacT directly supports the university’s Here and Next Strategic Plan and serves as the blueprint for WashU IT’s programs and projects. Minton added she is grateful for the support and encouragement she and her team have received from Nichol Luoma, Executive Vice Chancellor for Administration and Chief Administrative Officer; David H. Perlmutter, MD, Executive Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs, the George and Carol Bauer Dean of WashU Medicine, and the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor; and WashU Chancellor Andrew Martin.
“Jessie has been a transformational leader,” Luoma said. “Her guidance and vision have been critical to the implementation of tools like Workday Student. The work she and her teams accomplish touch every individual across both the Danforth and Medical campuses. I’m delighted that she was honored with an Orbie Award.”
Perlmutter added, “Under Jessie’s leadership, WashU IT is supporting the responsible use of AI across our campuses to drive and inspire innovation, as well as increase patient satisfaction and reduce physician burnout.”
Major IT initiatives currently underway include the 5-year CyBear Secure Program under the umbrella of Information Security, the 5-year investment of more than $100 million to improve cybersecurity capabilities, and the redesign of the fiber network across the Danforth and School of Medicine campuses. Additionally, IT is upgrading its high-performance storage and compute environment to provide new capabilities for researchers for big data storage, compute and transit, as well as partnering closely with BJC HealthCare to pilot emerging AI technologies in the health care space.
“I’m also very proud of the work we are doing to make our employees feel valued and appreciated,” Minton said. “Our employee engagement initiatives are part of our ongoing strategy. These initiatives empower our employees to feel trusted and make appropriate decisions at their level within the organization. We offer a safe space to fail and learn, achieve their development and career aspirations, and provide a place to celebrate successes.”
