Innovation, Leadership and Change

Stephen Gillett, CEO and co-founder of Alphabet’s cybersecurity moonshot, Chronicle, led the community talk “Innovation, Leadership and Change.” The 1998 UO graduate and former executive-in-residence at Google Ventures presented the inaugural Knight Campus Distinguished Lecture. The talk explored Stephen’s journey from the fields of Autzen Stadium to the hills of Silicon Valley, and discussed the lessons he’s learned every step of the way.

Starting at an IT helpdesk in Cottage Grove, Oregon, Stephen has had many experiences, joining the Starbucks executive ranks as part of their digital and technology transformation as CIO and later as President of Digital at Best Buy, helping the retailer to reimagine their role in a digital and e-commerce world. An avid gamer who remains an advisor at Google, Stephen took us on a journey about leadership, transformation, and change, and demonstrated how these elements shaped him into a leader that skirts the norm, strives for innovation and views change as an opportunity. 

The Knight Campus Distinguished Lecture Series
This marked the inaugural Knight Campus Distinguished Lecture, an annual event designed to bring nationally and internationally recognized science, technology and engineering leaders to the University of Oregon community to give their perspective on the future of their fields.