Alexis Lundeen’s background is surprising to many. As a leader in large-scale systems delivery and cloud application, she grew up in an Air Force family and was an aerospace engineer for F-16 aircraft. Over the last 4 years, however, Alexis led the cloud-based data hub for the largest ever health model developed at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service. Her Booz Allen team of more than 30 developers, data scientists, solutions architects, and more designed the infrastructure for 140,000 clinicians’ data to improve patient health through the Affordable Care Act’s Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative.
Now Alexis is shifting her role at Booz Allen to support defense organizations, going back to where she started. A 2020 finalist for the Women in Technology Awards, STEM Leadership category, Alexis recently shared how her experiences helped her become the influential leader she is today.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received?
Be flexible and open-minded. It’s advice I received early on and that I’ve taken to heart. It’s also something I share with my teams. If you’re open to different opportunities, you gain incredible insights and learn new things about yourself.
Being open also lets you shift your mindset as the industry changes. For example, some agencies are now looking for modern software delivery—with new demand for sprints rather than long-term schedules. We have to be able to flex and evolve to meet the client mission.
What characteristics do you think make a great leader and why?
A successful leader creates opportunities for other people to do great work. Support your team through coaching, mentoring, and getting them resources so they’re empowered to serve clients and drive projects forward.
I create an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions and raising risks and challenges. When you do these things, your team is more motivated. That’s when great things happen.
