Thought Leader

Kristin Russell

President, Global Services , Arrow Electronics

Kristin Russell is a C-level executive with a successful track record in leading and transforming technology organizations. She consistently demonstrates the ability to utilize both technical and business acumen to innovate and implement new strategies in order to drive growth. She is a proven leader in building high performing teams delivering sustainable results. As a strong communicator and leader, Kristin is able to gain commitment from diverse constituents and bring leading edge programs into existence. She currently is the President of Global Services at Arrow Electronics, a Fortune 109 company, where she and her team help enable customers’ growth through a simple, sustainable, and scalable technology lifecycle experience.

Previously, Kristin was Managing Director with Deloitte Digital, focused on bringing innovative, cloud-based solutions to public-sector and higher education markets. Prior to her work at Deloitte, Kristin was appointed by Governor Hickenlooper in February 2011 to serve as Colorado’s Secretary of Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO). As the CIO, she was responsible for the overall information systems statewide and increasing the government's effectiveness through the use of shared information and technology. As Secretary of Technology, Kristin led the state’s IT economic development strategy focused on attracting new tech companies and tech workers to the state.

Kristin has received several awards including Government Technology's Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers, the Denver Business Journal CIO of the Year Award, Top Innovator for Embedded Computing Design and in 2015, she was recognized as one of the Top 25 Most Powerful Women by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. In 2018, Kristin received the Bob Newman Lifetime Achievement Award from the Colorado Technology Association.

Kristin serves her community through numerous boards as the previous Chairwoman and current board member of the Colorado Technology Association, advisor for the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network and as a board member of both the University of Denver’s Business Intelligence and Analytics Program and Rocky Mountain Junior Achievement. Previously, she also served as the first Chairwoman for the Colorado Innovation Network Board of Advisors.

A sought-after expert and engaging speaker, Kristin has been featured in several publications, books and events.