EDUCAUSE & The Integrative CIO
Jul 23, 2026 · 55 min · 10 segments
This episode explores how effective technology leadership often grows from unexpected experiences rather than planned career paths. Through stories of growth, change, and self-discovery, the…
Tara HughesGuest
Ashley BakerGuest
Michael CatoHost
Cynthia GoldenHost
I just want to specifically ask, does that resonate with you as well, that it's become the fact that you did not come in in the traditional path has itself become an asset? Ashley, let's start with you.
the things that we've learned along the way, the kind of unusual path that you mentioned, Michael, has shown us such a different viewpoint on how the organization can work and how the people work.
And I really... rely on the culture and the structure of my team that they know what they're doing.
I just need to know how to help communicate that to the people that need to know what's going on or to help remove barriers from the people that need to fix the problem.
I think that it is so true that, first of all, that I don't know that there's a best path or a right path.
I think whatever path takes you to that role is the path that was good for you because it led you to that role for a reason.
I think, though, in the stories that we've both shared, I think that it has been an asset.
I think that there is a hunger and an appetite for a different perspective and kind of approach to IT leadership that is asking for IT leaders to see beyond just the technical components of the areas that they're leading, and it's asking for them to understand the humanity of the organization, of the campus community, how people show up from different angles to problems and the way the language that we use.
And so being able to cast a very wide net and go back to that in a treasure trove of skill sets that you've accumulated along the way I remember I just recently watched a video by Hank Green and he was talking about how no effort is wasted, that like as you kind of go through life, you have almost this junk drawer of skill sets and that you might not know when a particular skill will come in handy until it suddenly does.
And so I think that similarly, having an unusual arc of your trajectory is Junk drawer almost sounds condescending.
I just want to specifically ask, does that resonate with you as well, that it's become the fact that you did not come in in the traditional path has itself become an asset? Ashley, let's start with you.
the things that we've learned along the way, the kind of unusual path that you mentioned, Michael, has shown us such a different viewpoint on how the organization can work and how the people work.
And I really... rely on the culture and the structure of my team that they know what they're doing.
I just need to know how to help communicate that to the people that need to know what's going on or to help remove barriers from the people that need to fix the problem.
I think that it is so true that, first of all, that I don't know that there's a best path or a right path.
I think whatever path takes you to that role is the path that was good for you because it led you to that role for a reason.
I think, though, in the stories that we've both shared, I think that it has been an asset.
I think that there is a hunger and an appetite for a different perspective and kind of approach to IT leadership that is asking for IT leaders to see beyond just the technical components of the areas that they're leading, and it's asking for them to understand the humanity of the organization, of the campus community, how people show up from different angles to problems and the way the language that we use.
And so being able to cast a very wide net and go back to that in a treasure trove of skill sets that you've accumulated along the way I remember I just recently watched a video by Hank Green and he was talking about how no effort is wasted, that like as you kind of go through life, you have almost this junk drawer of skill sets and that you might not know when a particular skill will come in handy until it suddenly does.
And so I think that similarly, having an unusual arc of your trajectory is Junk drawer almost sounds condescending.
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