Diva Tech Talk chatted with Michelle Billingsley, Vice President and Chief Information Officer for nonprofit Blue Care Network.  Michelle manages a team of 105 full-time IT professionals, supplemented by 150 consultants/contractors, and directs information technology operations and solution delivery to meet the dynamic business needs of Michigan’s largest HMO, serving over 800,000 members.

Michelle fell in love with technology early in life.  A high school science project in programming led her to “the love of solving problems and the love of programming. ”While obtaining her undergraduate degree at Western Michigan University in computer science, with a minor in math and business, she worked in the computer lab and taught computer classes. Post-college, Michelle began her career at National Tech Team, a large IT supplier and training company, and then went to work in information tech at Wayne State University, while simultaneously getting her master’s degree.

Michelle is excited about her career future in healthcare working with “disruptive” technologies.  She mentioned the impact of wearable devices, BIG data, telemedicine, cognitive predictive analytics and pharmaceuticals on the business.

Michelle’s advice for aspiring women technology leaders is:

• Make your communications “relatable.”
• Be courageous, but recognize that part of courageousness is being vulnerable.  Accept help.
• Have goals for yourself and for your family.
• Build a broad network of people inside and outside your organization.
• Get a mentor.
• Take risk with your career, it stretches you.

Michelle Billingsley can be reached on Twitter @mebillingsley.   

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