ECE ILLINOIS alumna becomes first chief talent officer of ThoughtWorks

ECE ILLINOIS alumna Joanna Parke (BSEE '00) has recently been named to assume the inaugural position of chief talent officer of Chicago-based ThoughtWorks, a global software and digital transformation consultancy. 

Parke first joined ThoughtWorks in 2003 as a software developer. She has has developed her skill set and business acumen, rising through the ranks and taking on project management and client engagement responsibilities. Most recently, Parke held the role as managing director of North America, and in 2015, she was recognized in the prestigious 40 under 40 list by Crain's Chicago for her contributions towards talent development, notably doubling the percentage of technical women at ThoughtWorks. Last fall, she was honored with the ECE ILLINOIS Young Alumni Achievement Award "for creating radical change in the hiring practices of the tech secotr through dedication, innovation, and leadership."

Parke will oversee programs such as ThoughtWorks University and First Year Experience with the goal of creating a holistic, global approach for attracting diverse talent in their 41 offices spanning 14 countries. 

"From shifting workforce demographics, to remote working and artificial intelligence impacting employee engagement, this is an exciting time to evolve our approach to finding and developing the next generation of ThoughtWorkers," said Parke in a news release. "I joined ThoughtWorks 15 years ago as a software developer because I believed in the company's pursuit of software excellence - to push ourselves, our clients and our industry to continuously evolve and improve. This is reflected in our commitment to building a learning organization where individuals can expand their capabilities and reach their full potential as part of a high-performing team."