Erin Allen
Director, IT Strategy, Digital & Architecture
Sargento
Erin Allen has over 15 years of digital transformation leadership experience. Her work and impact have been felt across both the B2B and B2C spaces. She has supported consumer engagement, digital product development, and complex initiatives across CPG, beauty, food, and automotive sectors, as well as finance and technology.
Learn more about the Milwaukee CIO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
I started as a developer for a small software development company in Milwaukee and quickly found my passion for addressing people's needs with technology. I loved understanding the problem and building a solution out of thin air that delighted the user. As my career progressed, I expanded into architecture and finally into technology strategy and leadership.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Someone instrumental in my career helped me learn the meaning of this Anais Nin quote, "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” I find great joy in helping my team push themselves out of their comfort zones, learn, and adapt.
With disruption being a key theme of recent years, where do you see the CIO role going in the next 1-2 years?
As a technology strategist, you work at the speed of innovation. You can be disrupted or you can transform. We need to remain curious and open minded so we can transform. Previously, technology advancement might have allowed you to focus on the technology itself. Today and into the future, I think we need to be more attuned to the stakeholder experience and impact these advancements may have on them and our lives.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out as a CIO?
Start from a place of empathy. Get to know your stakeholders, where their goals and pain points are. Take the time to listen and don't be afraid to remain curious. Being humble allows others to open up around you and for you to grow strong relationships you can build from.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
- I'm a space and science fiction geek.
- My husband and I are car enthusiasts and love to spend our summer weekends driving our classic and hot rod cars around.
- I grew up on a Wisconsin dairy family farm with two parents that supported my science and technology curiosity with their own out-of-the-box thinking.
What is the value of joining an Evanta community?
The community! I have enjoyed and learned much from the members already. I look forward to continuing to learn and to help others on their journey, too.
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