Kathy Ryan | Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield | Chief Administrative Officer & Chief Information Officer
Career Evolution… My father tried to talk me out of becoming a programmer, he wanted me to be an engineer or lawyer – neither of which I wanted to do. After I graduated, I got a job as a programmer trainee and I absolutely loved the job; I really liked the people I was working with and that is how it has been even at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield. From the time I started here to today, 38 years ago, I have had the ability to work side-by-side with business areas, helping to develop solutions that would automate large manual processes and/or provide new tools.
A Day at Work… Almost every day starts and ends with a meeting, with meetings in between meetings. Meetings vary from strategic initiatives, one-on-one meetings with direct reports, general staff meetings, vendor meetings and most importantly working with the business areas on their technology needs.
Surprising, but True… A STEAM career is endless in the opportunities – there are so many avenues that you can take and technology is baked into everything we do. The technical world is changing rapidly and it impacts everything we do and will be doing.
Advice… Be willing to work hard, go above and beyond of what is asked of you. Be open-minded, be able to work with everyone and respect their knowledge. Be true to yourself.
These wonder women are redefining what STEAM means in the Capital City. With exciting careers in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics – each reflects WIT (women in tech) and true grit for making the most of every opportunity. Here’s to the PowHER of knowledge.
Photography by Sarah Oden
