Jennifer Kady

Jennifer Kady is a powerhouse in tech sales and innovation at IBM, where she leads Worldwide Data Sales as Vice President and General Manager. With more than 20 years of experience, she turns complex challenges into game-changing solutions - driving multibillion-dollar initiatives in data, AI, and security that help organizations worldwide thrive in a fast-moving tech landscape.

A proud Boilermaker through and through, Jennifer earned her B.A. in Organizational Communication (1997) and M.S. in Information Technology (1999) right here at Purdue. She loves showing how a liberal arts foundation, combined with technical savvy, can launch an incredible career in tech. She’s a frequent keynote speaker at major events like Salesforce Dreamforce, IBM Think, the Wall Street Journal Summit, and NYU, where she dives into Trusted AI, quantum computing, and the exciting future of innovation.

What really fires her up? Mentoring the next generation. As a CLA Alumni Board member, Jennifer champions the power of interdisciplinary thinking and helps students see the endless possibilities ahead. She’s also a dedicated STEM mentor, National Charity League supporter, and the mom who reviews her kids’ code with the same sharp eye she brings to multimillion-dollar deals. (Yes, even teenagers need to think about security!)

When she’s not leading teams or inspiring the next wave of innovators, you’ll find her jogging, swimming, or cheering on her family in the Chicago area—husband and three daughters included.