Alexis was one of the founding members of the Internet’s original Trade Association, helping Wall Street and the corporate world understand the impact that the Internet, innovation and technology would have on business, customers and society, and assisting in their transition to a digital existence from “bricks to clicks.”
During her career, Bonnell has applied her communications, project management, innovation and technology application skills in over 20 warzones, global disasters, and major transformation projects; delivering billions in innovative humanitarian and development programming in over 25 conflict, post-conflict and emergency countries, in almost every sector from education to stabilization, for more than 30 international bilateral donors, 10 U.N. agencies, the military and the private sector.
Her more than 30 years of experience in management and communications, include: Wall Street and “dot.coms,” and projects such as the Middle East Peace Plan, Afghan and Iraqi elections, tsunami response, Pakistan and Haiti earthquakes, construction projects, and major logistics operations.
At USAID, Alexis was a public servant who led transformation and knowledge management in the Management Bureau, was the first Telework Executive and served as the Chief of Engagement for Education.
She co-founded the U.S Global Development Lab of USAID, one of the premier Innovation Labs in government, she served as the Chief of Applied Innovation & Acceleration tackling the critical challenge of innovation adoption and institutionalization. She served as USAID’s Chief Innovation Officer. Alexis also founded the Global Innovation Exchange, which served as the world’s collection of over 16,000 innovations focused on helping change and save lives. Alexis had the privilege of working with thousands of innovators, inside and outside of USAID who are changing the world and helping millions of people become self-reliant.
In 2018, USAID received a 10/10 in Innovation in the “Results for America” study of Federal Agencies.
She serves as a key spokesperson and “Innovation & Technology Evangelist” across the industry driving innovation, modernization, digital transformation and emerging technologies.
Alexis has had the privilege of engaging with over 25,000 innovative ideas and investing in over 1,400, and learning from the teams of incredible entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs around what really works when driving change and new models in government and value to constituents around the world.
At Google, Alexis dedicated her time to helping public servants and defense leaders catalyze their missions with technology, solving the world’s toughest challenges. Including working on Digital Transformation in Healthcare, Education, COVID Response, Natural Disaster, Defense, Benefits and Service Institutions, and specializes in Customer Experience.
She championed emerging technology adoption in public organizations including: Zero Trust, Artificial Intelligence, Generative AI, MAchine Learning, Digital Twins, API First and Multi-Cloud adoption, Big Data, Sentiment Analytics, and many other novel technologies.
She created many of the first training and education courses for Public Leaders in Artificial Intelligence and Living System Leadership. She is a globally recognized expert on driving cultures of innovation, and technology adoption.
Alexis currently advises Public, Global and Multilateral Organizations, Defense and Public Leaders, and Commercial clients in best practices around leadership and transformation in a Digital Age.
She also serves as a Senior Industry Fellow for the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, and on the Loomis Council for Stimson, Alexis is on the Board of Directors for the Society for Intl Development and Bay Atlantic University.
Bonnell has multiple degrees, masters degrees and certifications from Pepperdine, NYU, Stanford, Kellogg Northwestern and other institutions. She is co-author of the book “Get your Dream Job.”