Dena Campbell
Chief Information Officer
Vaco
Dena Campbell is the Chief Information Officer of Vaco, a global professional services firm based out of Nashville, Tennessee. At Vaco, she provides leadership for the continued development of a transformative and secure technology environment.
As CIO, Dena leverages a strong background in consulting, operations, technology, and entrepreneurship to advance technologies, business processes and strategic value creation. As a steward of Vaco’s people-first culture, she works diligently to seamlessly integrate technology into all areas of the business, with a focus on adoption, implementation and change management efforts.
Fun fact: Dena is a habitual traveler who has gone to 41 countries and always has a trip planned or a new destination in mind. She is looking forward to visiting Costa Rica this summer.
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Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
My journey to becoming a CIO began humbly as a business analyst. In that role, I was working in healthcare at a time when technology was booming, and I gained a deep understanding of business processes, requirements, integrations and technological solutions. Over time, I leveraged my analytical skills, leadership potential and a passion for innovation to progress through various roles in IT and leadership, including years of consulting to/for CIOs before reaching the position of CIO myself.
This journey involved continuous learning, seizing opportunities for growth, long nights and demonstrating a strong commitment to driving business value through technology.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
Foster open communication and collaboration. I believe that creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing ideas, concerns and feedback leads to better collaboration and promotes transparency and trust within the team. This helps in addressing issues promptly, making informed decisions and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
What is the greatest challenge your particular C-level role is facing today, and how are you addressing it?
The greatest challenge my role is facing today is staying ahead of rapidly evolving technology trends while ensuring the security and compliance of our systems and data. To address this challenge, I am staying informed about emerging technologies by seeking out the latest information and by prioritizing industry networking. I am also collaborating closely with my fellow colleagues and organizational leaders to align technology initiatives with business goals.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CIO?
For someone just starting out in a CIO role, the key to success includes:
- Understanding your businesses goals, objectives and challenges
- Building and fostering your teams and their leaders
- Prioritizing relationships
- Communicating effectively and often
- Developing and surrounding yourself with a high-performing team
By focusing on these areas, I believe that a new CIO can set themselves up for success in their role and make a positive impact within their organization.
How do you measure success as a leader?
Success as a leader is multidimensional—it includes success metrics that are specific to the organization and its core values, as well as benchmarks of progress your current team is making. It is not just about achieving goals and setting new targets; it is also about the growth and development of your team and the lasting legacy of positive change you leave behind—both within the organization and the community. Change is constant; celebrate it often.
What is the value of being a member of the Evanta community?
Being a member of the Evanta community provides valuable opportunities for networking with countless technology executives and professionals. It has provided me with meaningful collaboration and contributed to my personal growth as a CIO.
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