Ursula Burns

Ursula Burns, former CEO of Xerox and STEM advocacy leader. Burns has extensive international experience in leading large companies that are facing sea changes in technology within their industries. She joined Xerox Corporation as a summer intern in 1980 and went on to hold leadership posts spanning corporate services, manufacturing, and product development. She was appointed president in 2007 and served as chairwoman of the board from 2010 to 2017 and CEO from 2009 to 2016. During her tenure, she helped the company transform from a global leader in document technology to the world’s most diversified business services company, serving enterprises and governments of all sizes. 

After her retirement from Xerox, she served as chairwoman and CEO of VEON, during which time she successfully steered the company through various compliance and restructuring changes. Burns is a founding partner of Integrum Holdings, a private-equity firm, and a non-executive chairwoman of Teneo Holdings, LLC. President Obama appointed Burns to lead the White House national program on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math from 2009 to 2016, and she also served as chair of the President’s Export Council from 2015 to 2016. Burns will receive an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree.