The State of Tennessee CIO and newly minted NASCIO president on unconventional tech career paths, the power of visionary mentorship, and how government agencies can bring more women to the IT table.
With women accounting for less than one-quarter of CIOs across government agencies—and an even smaller percentage at the state level—Stephanie Dedmon operates in rarefied air, having risen to the position of Chief Information Officer for the State of Tennessee.
Add to that her recent election as President of NASCIO (The National Association of State Chief Information Officers), and she is a particularly exceptional role model for women looking to forge a successful career in the male-dominated tech world. Her team even coined a new word—”Stephanitely”—to capture the can-do attitude she embodies and inspires. Her stellar IT credentials are even more impressive given that a technology-centered role was anything but a foregone conclusion at the start of Stephanie’s career. She wasn’t steeped in STEM as a young student and graduated from college with a degree in Marketing. But after receiving her MBA she joined Accenture, where her work with tech clients introduced her to the world that would eventually become her professional home.
After 15 years with Accenture, Stephanie left to pursue an opportunity to lead the State of Tennesse’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation. While she was well-versed in project management and large software implementation at the time, she didn’t know much about ERP. But she benefited from a hiring manager who saw beyond the so-called gaps in her experience to the value her proven skills would bring to the task and was willing to take a risk on her.
“I remember saying to him, ‘Here’s how I think we should structure the governance, here’s how I think we should procure it. But we need to run it by a steering committee.’ And he said, ‘We hired you because you know what you’re doing. So just do what you think we need to do.’” His faith reinforced hers, and she embraced the job fully confident in her ability to make it successful. The role was an excellent introduction to the inner workings of state government, from payroll, financials and procurement to HR, benefits and other critical administrative functions.
It also gave Stephanie an opportunity to forge strong relationships with process owners and SMEs across the organization to build out new teams and capabilities—all of which proved the ideal training ground for her eventual move to the CIO office. Her pivotal step in that direction came in 2014, when her then-CIO, boss and mentor tapped her as his successor.
But the trends and research for state CIOs are fairly consistent: the key skills are more about problem solving, customer service and building relationships.” It was another powerful experience of a mentor who saw beyond the seeming limits of her resume. “I thank him every day for seeing that potential in me.” The next year, he made Stephanie his deputy CIO, working with her to learn and master the technical areas of the job. She thrived in the new role. Upon his retirement in 2018, she was appointed CIO and has been leading the agency’s operational areas ever since.
For Stephanie, the care and support women tend to bring to the workplace is something to be recognized and celebrated: A positive force in and of itself, and a critical balance to a “just-get-it-done” mentality that is necessary to move business forward but often discounts the negative residual effects on people. Her belief in centering positive human experience manifested itself early on in Stephanie’s tenure as CIO. One of her first orders of business in the role was to rally her team and leaders around a renewed focus on the agency’s identity and culture.
That meant doubling down on the “service” aspect of their customer service, and building an inclusive, supportive, family-oriented workplace—two distinct objectives driving toward the same outcome. “When you’re doing both well, they’re reciprocal. You need to feel a connection at work that is positive, where you feel like you’re supported and have a path forward. And the culture that you foster internally is going to be what your customers see and experience.”
Investment in culture also serves as a powerful retention tool. “The competition for talent is so steep these days. You must figure out other ways to make a job and a career with the state more attractive.”
While her own tech career isn’t rooted in a science or technology background, Stephanie considers the focus onSTEM for girls and young women as a hugely positive force for expanding female representation in tech companies and roles.
At the same time, she sees opportunity in reframing the idea of what a career in technology looks like. “It does not have to be a geeky proposition. You don’t have to be a strong technologist to have a tech career. There are so many areas that are equally as important to the success of the technology organization.” Stephanie attributes the passion for project management that was her own entrée into tech to the influence of her mother, whose legendary to-do lists kept the household running like clockwork. She is also a strong advocate for acknowledging and supporting the unique needs of women who choose to pursue parallel paths of career and motherhood. “We’ve come a long way as a society. But you have to manage young mothers—and for that matter, young fathers—differently.”
Even with a string of supportive bosses, Stephanie experienced the self-imposed guilt of balancing work and motherhood as she moved up the professional ladder. As a leader, she is adamant about giving her team members with young children the flexibility they need and empowering them to ditch the guilt. “I constantly tell them, ‘Do not worry. Do what you need to do.’ I know that when they feel supported, they’re going to give me that support back in spades.”
Stephanie instinctively attaches herself to organizations and opportunities that support the visibility and advancement of women in technology. And she strives to extend those opportunities into the workplace. An active member of the Tennessee chapter of Women in Technology, she encourages both the women and men on her team to attend local networking events and leverage the organization’s workshops and speakers to inform their own conversations and initiatives.
NASCIO’s monthly forum for women in state IT also gives members great exposure to female leaders across a variety of industries; recent speakers have included the CEO of the Federal Office of Management and Budget. And her team’s DEI committee plays an active role in expanding inclusion and educational opportunities across all areas of her organization.
Given her position and path to success, it’s no surprise that Stephanie’s career advice is highly sought after. Her answer comes down to two key elements: Ownership and mentorship. “You have to take responsibility for your own career development. Ask for what you need. The worst someone can say is no. But if you’re good at what you do and you’re a problem solver and you’re dedicated and committed, supervisors and managers are most likely going to do what they can do to make sure you’re supported.”
Her own career is a testament to the importance of building and nurturing the right professional relationships. “Seek out those people who demonstrate not just the professional qualities but also the personal qualities you admire.” More than likely, she says, they’ll jump at the opportunity. “One of the most flattering things that has ever happened to me is someone coming to me and saying, ‘I don’t know you very well, but I think you’re awesome. Would you be my mentor?’”
For Stephanie, the lifelong learner, relationship builder, and champion of women in technology—and beyond it—the benefits of mentorship flow both ways. “I think I get as much out of those conversations as she does. I always learn something.”
