Marie Johnson

Marie is an internationally recognised digital authority; advocate for the humanitarian application of AI; and a relentless inclusion and accessibility advocate.

Marie conceived and led the global co-design and co-creation effort with people with disability to deliver “Nadia” the first AI digital human for service delivery. Marie’s current humanitarian project is the AI Digital Human Cardiac Coach.

Marie’s extensive experience across public and private sectors includes delivering significant technology, innovation and digital services transformation programs encompassing revenue, business, health, human services, payments, biometrics, identity, immigration operations and disability services.

The diversity of roles covers service delivery operations, global technology strategy, Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Architect, Technology Authority, board director, government advisor, and mentor to start-ups.

In 2005 the US Government awarded Marie an O-1 Visa (Individuals with Extraordinary Ability) to take up the role of Microsoft Worldwide Executive Director of Public Services and eGovernment.

Marie was Head of the Technology Authority for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. For many years, Marie was the Department of Human Services Chief Technology Architect, with responsibilities covering the Health and Human Services Access Card, and the architecture and technology business cases bringing together the massive systems of Centrelink, Medicare Australia, and the Child Support Agency.

For many years, Marie was an invited member of the Accenture Global CIO Advisory Council; Independent Member of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Spectrum Programme Board; National Board Director of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA); a member of NSW Digital Government Advisory Panel. Marie was Faculty at Exponential Medicine Singularity University.

Marie has been a judge on Australian and international technology innovation awards, including the CIO50 Awards.

An in-demand international keynote speaker, in 2020 Marie delivered the Kenneth Jenkins Oration.

Marie’s innovations have been recognised internationally.

UN Award: egovernment for the Business Entry Point; “Innovative CIO of the Year – Australia”; one of Australia’s “100 Women of Influence”; and “Exceptional Woman of Excellence” at the 2019 Women Economic Forum.

Her goal is to leave a technology and innovation design legacy so that the interaction between people and the systems of society is naturally empathetic, seamless and intuitive regardless of ability or language.