Meet the new Co鈥慏irector of the College of Digital Transformation! An interview with Dr. Paola Gonzalez

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The College of Digital Transformation recently announced the appointment of Dr. Paola Gonzalez as Co-Director of the College. We sat down with Dr. Gonzalez to learn more about what excites her stepping into this role, and her expertise and experience that shapes her vision for the College admist a changing digital transformation landscape.听

What excites you most about stepping into the role of Co-Director of the College of Digital Transformation?听

Honestly, it's the people part. I've been involved with the College since its early days, and what I've seen work best is when people who wouldn't normally end up in the same room, students, researchers, industry practitioners, community partners, find a reason to collaborate. That's the piece I'm most excited to keep building together.

What experiences or perspectives are you bringing to (or from within) the College, and how have they shaped the way you think about digital transformation?听

My research has always started from the people side of technology, not the technology itself, whether that's looking at inclusion in the tech sector or how digital tools show up or can be improved in day-to-day healthcare work. What that's taught me, over and over, is that digital transformation succeeds or fails on relationships, trust and culture, not just on the tools themselves.

What do you see as some of the biggest opportunities or challenges facing organizations as they navigate digital transformation today?听

The technology itself is rarely the hard part anymore. The real challenge is helping people feel confident, included, and supported through the change, and making sure the benefits reach a broad range of communities, not just the ones already positioned to take advantage of them. We're also still figuring out how to measure "value" itself, our sense of what counts needs to evolve as fast as the technology and culture around it do.

As you look ahead, what would you like to see the College accomplish or become over the next few years?听

I'd like to see the College keep growing into its role as a connector, across Management and Computer Science, but also out into the community, industry, and public sector. And I care a lot about making sure that growth includes more students and more people from underrepresented groups, including immigrants and other equity-deserving communities, having a real seat at the table.

What are you most looking forward to about working with the College鈥檚 students, researchers, industry partners, and wider community?

Just learning from people. Some of the best ideas I've been part of started as an unplanned conversation between people with very different backgrounds. I'm looking forward to helping create more of those moments and seeing where they lead.

Is there anything you鈥檇 like to add?

I'm grateful for the chance to take this on, and I don't take the College's foundation for granted, a lot of good work of people I respect and appreciate got us here. I'm looking forward to learning alongside colleagues, students, and partners as we keep building it together.

Thank you, Dr. Gonzalez!听