Since 2005, the Illinois Technology Association has been a champion for and supporter of Illinois' many tech and startup ecosystems.
Over the last several years, the organization has put an added focus on female entrepreneurship and elevating the state’s reputation as a tech hub, as well as guiding local startups on how to build strong and sustainable business. All of this and more has taken place under the guidance of Julia Kanouse, the organization’s CEO.
But after nearly five years on the job, Kanouse is stepping down from the top role at the end of the month. A replacement for Kanouse hasn’t been chosen yet, but the ITA hopes to have the decision made by the end of January.
Kanouse is moving on to ISACA, a Schaumburg-based global IT association, where she will be running the firm’s membership business. She won’t be cutting her ITA ties completely, though; she is joining the organization’s board of directors.
“It’s a really interesting opportunity to take a lot of what I’ve already done, built and learned with ITA on a local scale to a global scale,” Kanouse said.
Before joining the ITA in 2014, Kanouse was navigating a career in tech. She started at Accenture, where she learned to code in a three-week boot camp. And through some other roles at consulting firms and tech companies, she gained tech, business and marketing skills, which made her the perfect candidate for the top role at ITA several years later.
The ITA currently has about 450 members and is run by a team of just eight people.
“Our mission is to grow and support the tech ecosystem, primarily in Chicago, but in Illinois holistically,” Kanouse said.
During Kanouse’s tenure, the ITA has grown its talent resources for its startup members. The organization now helps companies create strong talent acquisition and retention programs and internship calendars, as well as provide professional development resources.
Kanouse also made it a priority to support women in tech. Earlier this year, the ITA released data that showed women are still few and far between among the top positions at Chicago’s tech companies. The most damning finding was that just 6 percent of Chicago tech CEOs are women.
To help combat the diversity issue, the ITA launched its Women Influence Chicago Initiative, which works to advance women in Chicago’s tech scene. It also operates an accelerator program, where women technologists are provided guidance on how to navigate their careers at some of the city’s top tech firms. In the latest four-month cohort, women from companies like Ensono, Motorola Solutions and Visibly, will be graduating from the program on Dec. 19.
“It’s one of my personal passions, and I think it has served the community well, and it’s been a benefit to ITA and our members,” Kanouse said. “We could help put Chicago on the map as a place for women in tech—as a place where you can really grow your career.”
As a board member, Kanouse says she will have a hand in picking her replacement. The ideal candidate is passionate about technology and focused on fostering external partnerships that help elevate Chicago’s tech community in general, she said.
“Chicago is in a great place in terms of where it can go next as a tech hub,” Kanouse said. “And there’s some really bright minds thinking about it.”
