From First - Gen Scholar to Tech Entrepreneur: Dr. Theresa M. Szczurek's Pursuit of Passionate Purpose

Women's History Month is celebrated annually in March to honor and recognize women's contributions, achievements, and struggles. GlobalMindED is proud to highlight the voices and work of influential women.

Dr. Theresa Szczurek, PhD is a tech, cybersecurity, and AI-savvy C-level executive, former State CIO, Certified Management Consultant (CMC®), CEO, 3x entrepreneur, speaker, and Certified Corporate Director (NACD.DC) who is a business growth and innovation strategist. She boldly transforms private and public sector organizations, both for-profit and non-profit, by taking them to new heights.

What is your personal/professional story?

I grew up in a large, blue-collar, Polish family in the suburbs of Chicago with a solid education at St. Mary of Czestochowa Catholic School. As my personal foundation of core values took form, including the importance of integrity, my determination also gained strength. My motto became: “If it is to be, it is up to me.” 

As a first-generation college student, I was one of the first in my family to graduate from college. I fell in love with Higher Education and the impact it can have on one’s life and the community. I became curious, learned as much as possible, and got the best grades possible. It paid off. Was it grace, serendipity, or luck? The harder I worked, the luckier I seemed to be. As Oprah said, "I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity. If you hadn't been prepared when the opportunity came along, you wouldn't have been 'lucky.'” 

My first job after graduating with my B.S. in Mathematics was as a Member of Technical Staff with AT&T Bell Labs, the premier research and development labs. A family friend and another fellow student opened the door; this shows the importance of making and keeping relationships along life’s journey. Not only was I doing important work with brilliant people to improve business communications, but the company sent me to Stanford University for my M.S. in Operations Research from the College of Engineering. 

Twenty years later after that beginning, I was living my dream –or so I thought—climbing the career ladder. But I didn’t realize the price I would have to pay for my position as one of the highest-ranked women in my division. The lack of a personal life and 60-hour workweeks were taking their toll. Behind my back, colleagues resented my promotions. My boss instructed me to act without integrity, “Kill Larry or Larry is going to kill you.” Then the company sent that boss, instead of me, to announce the new product I had worked on for three years. Finally, my heart broke through over my rational-thinking head and cried out, “Make changes. Follow your heart, in harmony with your head. Pursue passionate purpose.” 

I heard the wake-up call. I left to pursue the entrepreneurial dream. However, before launching the first of what would be three tech ventures, I finished my MBA in Information Systems and Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Colorado Boulder. After we sold the first venture, Radish Communications Systems (aka Radish 1.0), people asked me how we did it. So I undertook a rigorous, multiyear, research study to distill a practical approach that others could use to get all they want in life. I speak about and authored the Amazon-bestseller, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose (Wiley), which provides my proven, step-by-step success formula. 

Taking a nearly two-year tour of duty in the public sector away from my latest tech venture Radish Systems (Radish 2.0), I served in the Governor’s cabinet as State of Colorado Chief Information Officer and Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Information Technology overseeing all IT/cybersecurity and leading digital transformation for the $30B state. I was honored to receive the ORBIE® award in 2020 as Colorado Public Sector CIO of the Year. 

I consult / coach / speak as a Certified Management Consultant® through my firm Technology and Management Solutions. Having served on many for-profit private, government, non-profit, and education boards including Radish Systems and Western Colorado University, I have broad governance and audit experience, including Board chair and Committee chair. I was chosen as one of ‘50 Women to Watch for Boards’ from 50/50 Women on Boards. I seek to provide value to other corporate boards. 

I married my extremely supportive and talented business partner, Dr. Richard A. Davis (the RAD of Radish). We have one daughter, Annie, an AI and Data specialist in public health, who lives with her new husband in Tacoma, WA. I love hiking and climbing mountains, being a Girl Scout leader, meditating, and dancing.

What key moments in your life led you to where you are today? 

Getting the opportunity to work as an Engineer for Bell Labs and then as a Product Line Manager for AT&T changed my life. It brought me to Colorado, provided fabulous learning opportunities, expanded my horizons on the importance of women in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), gave me growth and leadership chances, and helped me connect with proper people including my business partner who became my husband. 

Pursuing the entrepreneurial dream. Through the founding, funding, running, and exits of three ventures, I brought innovative technological solutions out to change the world. In the process, the people involved including me built a ‘family’ together and had fun along the way. 

Researching, authoring, and speaking about the Pursuit of Passionate Purpose. This helped me distill the most important lessons learned for a rewarding life. My conclusion: “The pursuit of passionate purpose, as well as its attainment, and relationships along the way bring the real rewards in life.” 

Serving on the Governor’s Cabinet as the State of Colorado's Chief Information Officer gave me the opportunity to be a C-level executive of a $30B public sector enterprise improving the lives of 5.8 million Coloradans. I was able to work together with 17 departments and my 1000 staff to transform the state’s IT culture, lead digital transformation, and ensure a secure Colorado. 

Getting married to the right, supportive man and becoming a mother brought incredible love and compassion into my life. It brought me balance with my head and heart in my personal and professional life. Note, getting pregnant was a pursuit of passionate purpose itself requiring every medical intervention known to the West and the East. Fortunately, it did deliver. 

Where does your passion to serve come from? 

My favorite word is passion. My passion comes from the alignment of my values with my gifts. My passion is to help others reap the real rewards in life through the pursuit of a passionate purpose. I am the catalyst for extraordinary results and help organizations and individuals succeed on their path to fulfillment. My fire keeps burning because I get a sense of meaningfulness, choice, competency, and progress from this pursuit. 

How can GlobalMindED help you reach your goals? 

I seek to contribute and connect with love and joy, especially to make a meaningful difference taking organizations and individuals to new heights. As an eternal optimist, I want to sow hope. Help me find venues to speak and/or consult so I can share my message and leverage my experience. One of my popular topics is “To The Top: Lessons for Leaders Learned from My Climb Up Kilimanjaro.” Connect me to leaders serving on corporate boards who need a tech-savvy board director.

To learn more about Dr. Theresa M. Szcurek check out her newsletter or visit her webpage.

Radish Systems (acq by NLX) , University of Colorado Boulder ; International Women's Forum ; International Women's Forum of Colorado ; Private Directors Association® ; Institute of Management Consultants USA (IMC USA) ; Western Colorado University ; Bridge Entrepreneurs Network Colorado ; Founder Institute ; Radish Systems (acq by NLX) ; Girls Scouts of The US ; State of Colorado ; NYSE ; 50/50 Women on Boards ; illumyn Impact ; Equilar ; Nascio ; @InspireCIO; Boulder City Chamber of Commerce ; BizWest ; Denver Business Journal ; Stanford Women on Boards ; University of Colorado Boulder - Leeds School of Business ; Western Illinois University ; Deloitte ; Digital Directors Network

Dr. Paula Hopkins ; Paulette Tate