You were at Autodesk for 13 years before you left briefly and returned as CFO in 2021. What brought you back to Autodesk, and what inspired you to take on the role of board chair of the Autodesk Foundation?

I love Autodesk; we have great products, great people, and strong growth prospects. But there’s more. I’m passionate about sustainability and the role I can play as CFO in driving our sustainability work forward. Autodesk is uniquely positioned for impact: our software can help address some of the most pressing issues, from measuring greenhouse gas emissions to improving health and resilience globally to supporting workers to adapt and thrive in an era of automation. Through the Autodesk Foundation, we direct Autodesk resources—including funding, technical training and support, as well as expertise—towards innovative solutions that are transforming the architecture, engineering, construction, and product design and manufacturing industries to be more sustainable, equitable, and resilient. It’s my passion across all these areas that brought me back to Autodesk and made me delighted to assume the role of chair of the Autodesk Foundation board.

How does your background in finance influence your approach to addressing climate change and inequality as board chair of the Autodesk Foundation?

As a CFO in my day job, it’s probably not surprising that I bring a data-oriented rigor to my approach as Foundation board chair. Of course, I track the Foundation’s finances closely, but I also want to ensure we employ a data orientation to our work to ensure that resources flow to the most impactful innovations. The team has done an excellent job applying this rigor through its impact measurement and management practice, which uses data to establish accountability, inform decision-making, and generate evidence of success.

As you look towards the year ahead and beyond, what does success look like for you as board chair?

The board plays an important oversight role; we approve and uphold policies and decisions, serve as a sounding board for management, and act as brand and cause ambassadors for the Autodesk Foundation. Furthermore, the board supports the Foundation’s team as they evaluate and make decisions about where to focus funding and resource allocation. Success to me is doing that well. In terms of oversight, a key ingredient to success is ensuring we’re funding a diverse portfolio that serves our mission to support innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges, and that this portfolio delivers measurable impact across the impact opportunity areas (Energy & Materials, Health & Resilience, and Work & Prosperity).

Our funding supports a wide range of nonprofits and startups, which I think is really cool. In the last board meeting, we received an in-depth overview of Coalfield Development from Founder and CEO Brandon Dennison. Coalfield is a social enterprise in the Work & Prosperity portfolio that focuses on rebuilding the Appalachian economy through sustainable project development, workforce training, and community revitalization, to name a few. Coalfield Development is one great example of the 50-plus organizations in the portfolio.

Read the full article about sustainability by Christine Stoner at Autodesk Foundation.