19. Tonjia Coverdale, Ph.D. on fearless leadership and innovation

Tonjia Coverdale, Ph.D. is an executive, professional, and scholar who has cultivated her unique perspective of technology through the combination of academic theories, applied research, industry practices, entrepreneurial insight, and strategic focus. Currently, Tonjia is Associate Vice President for Workforce & Legal Technology at Nationwide.In this episode, we talk with Tonjia about fearless leadership and innovation and how she approaches technology through a unique lens that melds academia and technical expertise.With three degrees in information systems and technology – B.S., MBA, and Ph.D. – Tonjia has 23 years experience in the field including President / CEO of the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network, where she completed the construction of a $118M fiber-optic, middle-mile network that is one of the first 100% fiber-optic broadband networks in the U.S. to service an entire State/Territory. Having pursued a dual career path in both industry and academia, she also has 19 years of experience in higher education as an administrator and professor, most recently serving as the Vice President for IT and Chief Information Officer at Central State University. She also has a dedicated commitment to increasing socioeconomic mobility by providing career access to the technology industry, with a keen interest in creating pathways for women and traditionally underrepresented groups. To connect with Tonjia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonjia/Follow Tonjia on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonjia