Episode 49: Dr. Judith Cardenas

Dr. Judith Cardenas is the President and CEO of Strategies By Design, a global consulting firm dedicated to helping organizations innovate and design impactful solutions and client experiences. Over the past decade, she has empowered leaders and organizations to successfully execute their vision and achieve strategic goals through approaches grounded in innovation, change management, and disruptive technologies. Dr. Cardenas holds a doctorate in education administration and a doctorate in training and performance improvement. Her postdoctoral work includes leadership development at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, as well as certification as a Professional in Return on Investment from Villanova University. She also holds multiple advanced credentials, including certifications in Innovation, Design Thinking (Harvard), AI Leadership (MIT), AI Strategy, AI Ethics, AI Design, and Digital Transformation. Currently, she leads the Center for Innovation and Disruptive Technology for the League for Innovation, where she works with over 400 AI Fellows across the United States as they adopt and embrace artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Her professional background includes executive leadership roles overseeing large public institutions, where she managed a $146 million operational budget, $30 million in federal funding, a $10 million foundation endowment, and a workforce of over 3,000 employees. In addition to her extensive experience in higher education, Dr. Cardenas has developed and delivered training programs for leading organizations such as the World Bank, United Nations, QVC, Inc., Philips Semiconductor, U.S. Navy, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, U.S. Army, BioWorks, and the Naval Acquisition Career Center.