Sophia A. Muirhead

Spohia A. Muirhead is our new Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer (COO).  Her talk will be an introdcution into who she is.  Some highlights include how she moved up from an IEEE Staff position, is the first women and women of color to hold this position, her professional work and educational background.  Sophie will speak about IEEE current vision and new ventures like IEEE MOVE, Futures, etc.  She will have time for all our Questions and Answers, so do come with questions.  She will be with us all evening for those casual meetings and questions.  She is coming to meet us: NJ Coast and Central Jerser/Princeton Section volunteers.  

Biography:

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Sophia (“Sophie”) Muirhead was appointed by the Board of Directors of IEEE as the organization’s Executive Director and
Chief Operating Officer (COO) in January 2023. She is responsible for managing a global staff of over 1,100 employees and a
business enterprise valued at more than $500 million, overseeing its operations and ensuring its continued growth and
success.
Before assuming the role of Executive Director and COO, Sophie served as IEEE's General Counsel and Chief Compliance
Officer for a period of four years. During this time, she provided invaluable legal counsel and business advice to the
organization's Boards of Directors, Presidents and CEOs, senior volunteer leaders, and global staff. Her expertise and trusted
guidance enabled IEEE to effectively navigate complex legal and compliance matters, and maintain its position as a leader
in its industry.
Sophie's professional experience prior to joining IEEE in 2019 includes a distinguished tenure of two decades at The
Conference Board (TCB), a preeminent global economic think tank and business membership organization established in
1917. During her time there, she held several leadership roles, including serving as TCB's inaugural Chief Legal Officer, where
she successfully established a legal team and built an internal legal function from the ground up. She also held various
operations positions, including overseeing TCB's Marketing and Communications Center. Her extensive background in legal
affairs and operational management has been instrumental in her ability to effectively lead and drive organizational
success. Sophie’s expertise was profiled in Vanguard Law.
EDUCATION
Sophie earned her Juris Doctorate from the Harvard Law School, where she excelled as an editor and contributor to the
prestigious Harvard International Law Journal. Originally from Jamaica, she obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in political
science from Hunter College, graduating with high honors (magna cum laude). In addition to her academic achievements
at Harvard and Hunter, Sophie has pursued studies at both Boston University and the University of London, demonstrating
her dedication to academic excellence and continual professional development.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Sophie is a member of several prominent professional organizations, including the National Association of Corporate
Directors, the New York State Bar Association, and the Association of Corporate Counsel. In addition, as part of her
commitment to supporting and advancing education and engineering initiatives, she serves on the Board of Trustees of the
Hunter College Foundation and as a Trustee of the United Engineering Foundation.

Email:

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