Julie Goonewardene is the Senior Advisor to the Chancellor and the Chief Talent and Innovation Officer at the University of Texas System, which encompasses 9 academic universities and 6 health institutions including MD Anderson and UT Southwestern. Collectively, UT-owned and -affiliated hospitals and clinics accounted for more than 10.6 million outpatient visits and more than 2 million hospital days last year. In her role, she is responsible for the Office of Talent and Innovation and a Managing Director for the UT Horizon Fund.
Julie brings experience as a successful technology entrepreneur to her roles in the boardroom and the executive suite. An expert in recognizing the key elements for success in early-stage companies, Julie’s leadership has helped guide a founder from startup to IPO as a Board Chair, increased a university’s licensing revenue by 15X, produced multiple successful exits for founders, and helped companies attracted nearly $800M in early stage investments.
She is also an experienced entrepreneur, having co-founded Cantilever Technologies, a venture-backed software company that was successfully acquired. Prior to Cantilever, she was a co-founder of Technology Solutions (TSC), an IT services firm which went public three years after its inception.
Julie is a Board Member at Axia Home Loans, served on the Board of Trustees for the American Medical Association (AMA), the President of the Center for Technology Commercialization at The University of Kansas and started and managed Purdue University’s first venture fund. Additionally, she collaborated with the US Army to develop and launch an innovative trauma center with UT technology and expertise, resulting in $22M of launch capital.
She builds success in complex public-private partnerships, having expanded from innovation leadership roles to head administrative and HR functions across the second-largest university system in the United States, serving 254K students, performing $3.8B in annual research, and investing $29B in operations each year. Julie has transformed functional areas, built new partnerships, and launched new strategies by engaging highly educated professionals, support staff, private sector executives, and government officials with equal aplomb.
Julie has led boards and executive teams through successful IPOs and challenging strategic shifts. She is a clear communicator who maintains equanimity and focus amidst technology development and moves complex personnel matters to optimal resolution.
