SBS Board Q&A: Kelley Steven-Waiss

Kelley Steven-Waiss — a U of A School of Journalism alumna — is a mother of four, tech founder, speaker, board member, author of Inside Gig and Valley Girls, a former chief human resources officer, and currently the chief transformation officer at ServiceNow, a software company that uses AI to optimize IT services and user experience. An advocate and staunch supporter of women, Steven-Waiss coaches and mentors female founders, investors, and leaders. She recently joined the SBS Advisory Board and shared how she hopes to lend her expertise and experience to champion students and improve visibility for emerging talent.

You are an advocate for women in business. How will that manifest in your role as a board member?

We have an opportunity to help young and underrepresented women find their path, identify their aspirations, and remove barriers for those who can’t afford education or don’t have access. That’s a benefit to all students. For women, we see a lot of them dropping out early because they might be first generation and lack support, or they’re trying to take care of their families while going back to start and/or finish college. There’s a lot of opportunity to be a voice in the SBS boardroom.

What motivated you to join the board?

I wanted to give back to the university in my after-college life because it holistically shaped a lot of who I am today. I was very involved in college — as part of student government, Greek life, serving as an orientation leader, and as a journalism school student. I got a great education, and I had a chance to learn about my interests and acquire skills like public speaking and writing that I still leverage in my professional life.

How can SBS position itself as a leader in AI education to attract attention in today’s competitive tech landscape?

AI is the most popular topic in every organization today. Everyone is trying to codify their strategy for AI and acquire the talent necessary to future-proof their organizations. Part of that strategy is how those organizations prepare their workforce. At ServiceNow, we have a program called Rise Up, which targets aspiring technical and non-technical talent across varied backgrounds and experiences and teaches the skills necessary to both build and implement AI solutions on ServiceNow. There’s a massive amount of re-skilling and up-skilling required across multiple industries. Preparing students for the next generation of work leveraging AI is crucial. We must build a reputation for preparing the next generation to remain competitive in the future workforce and demonstrate to prospective students that the U of A provides a strong foundation in emerging fields like AI.

Are there any key initiatives or projects you hope to champion during your tenure as a board member?

I want to raise more capital for the College of SBS to ensure equity of access to education and be a magnet for outstanding educators. Here, I offer my skills and experience in building a great brand and message platform to market our SBS program. We want to show SBS as a great place to get an education . . . and build the foundation for a prosperous career. In short, I want to do more to reach top students who haven’t considered the U of A.

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This story was included in the fall 2024 Developments newsletter.