Culture Change at Scale: Empowering Teams During Times of Transformation
Summary
When technology evolves, market conditions shift, or goals change, your culture often needs to transform too. But how do you change culture at a massive scale to maximize the opportunities these industry shifts create? In this fireside chat, Dave Richardson (SVP of Software & Services Engineering @ GM) and Kathryn Vandiver (Former VP of Engineering @ Quanata) discuss culture change at massive scale. They’ll discuss inspiring teams regardless of size, introducing a startup subculture of speed and action in established companies, and how to keep teams focused during industry or company transformations.
Plus forming high-performing teams, how to push decisions down to scale, how to be decisive and blunt while maintaining focus and inspiration within the team, and how to earn and lead with respect vs. fear. Whether you’re a startup or an established company this session will equip you with insights to help you transform and evolve your culture.
Speakers
Dave Richardson is GM’s Senior Vice President of Software and Services Engineering, where he oversees the engineering organization building the future of connected vehicles. Before GM, Dave spent 12 years at Apple where he was an engineering leader responsible for driving innovation and efficiency in infrastructure for Apple services including iCloud, FaceTime, and Siri. He was also co-founder and Chief Scientist at cloud computing company Skytap and was a founding advisor for online marketplace Dibspace. Dave holds both a Ph.D. and a master's degree in computer science from the University of Washington.
With over 30 years of experience as a global engineering leader, Kathryn has guided companies ranging from agile startups to Fortune 500 enterprises toward growth and scalability in both B2B and B2C technology areas. She has held leadership roles at VMWare, HPE, NetApp, and Quanata, a State Farm Company. Specializing in engineering and team culture turnarounds, she frequently steps in to provide decisive leadership during periods of transition. Kathryn is committed to valuing every team member's unique contributions, actively seeking the perspectives of both influencers and naysayers to foster positive change. Her collaborative approach has consistently helped teams double or even triple business growth, significantly enhancing company value through successful turnarounds. Passionate about 'paying it forward,' Kathryn mentors, teaches leadership skills, and supports young women in tech on their career journeys. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking the trails of the Bay Area and spending quality time with her family.
