We sat down to talk with Ann Cramer, Director IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs for the Americas. Listen in to the interview to hear about how a transformational leader truly aligns the work they do with their core passion and purpose and get her tips on how to influence powerfully without direct authority.
Ann Wilson Cramer, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, graduated from Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina with a degree in mathematics and serves on its board. She is with IBM Corporation as its Director for IBM Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs for the Americas. Ann and her husband, Jeff, their two children, Megan and Wil, are all active at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, where Ann has served as Senior Warden of the Vestry. Ann started with IBM as a Systems Engineer in Jacksonville. After being “retired” from IBM for ten years, Ann returned to IBM in External Programs, now Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs.
Ann’s commitment to and involvement with children and youth has been a lifelong journey. Her current job with IBM allows her to continue her work with the improvement of conditions for families, because of IBM’s historic involvement with and investment in local communities.
IBM is committed to K-12 education, job training and employment, community and family services, literacy programs and support for the disabled and disadvantaged through its people and technology. IBM employees are considered its strongest philanthropic asset in its approach to improve the communities in which they live and work. IBM’s primary emphasis is focused on education reform, especially related to the powerful use of solutions including services, software and technology as tools for learning.
In support of IBM’s primary focus areas, Ann currently serves as chair of the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education (GPEE), the Carter Center Board of Councilors, Atlanta Partners for Education and the Council on Foundations Public Policy Committee and is on the Council’s board and past chair of Communities in Schools-Georgia, and the Georgia Chamber’s Education Committee, Voices for Georgia’s Children, and is on the Executive Committee for the US Chamber’s Institute for Competitive Workforce and BCLC, the Conference Board’s Business and Education Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber Education Committee and Project GRAD Board. She serves on several non-profit organization boards including the Woodruff Arts Center, the Alliance Theatre Company, Georgia Shakespeare Festival, the Georgia Center for NonProfits, Public Broadcasting Atlanta (PBA), the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Georgia Chapter of the International Women’s Forum, UGA Board of Visitors, the Hands-on-Atlanta Advisory Board and the Atlanta Cities of Service board. And currently chairs the Advisory Councils for the Alliance Theatre and Imagine-It the Children’s Museum of Atlanta.
In 2009, Ann was the first to receive the “Essence of Atlanta” Award at the 41st Anniversary of Outstanding Atlanta. She was recently honored with the Georgia Center for Non-Profits 2011 Revolution Legendary Philanthropist Award and named by Atlanta Woman Magazine as the Power Woman of the Year,”25 Atlantans to Watch,” inducted into the Business Hall of Fame and awarded Georgia’s 1st Visionary Leadership Award, Leadership Atlanta’s Legacy of Leadership Award, the Lexus Leader of the Arts, the Shining Star recognition from the Atlanta Women’s Foundation, the first Narrowing the Digital Divide Award, the Andrew Young Public Policy and Faith award, Leading Ladies and Women Making the Mark distinctions, the Georgia Council for Economic Education’s prestigious VanLandingham Award, the Urban League’s 2000 Distinguished Community Service Award, the LifeTime Achievement in the Arts, Outstanding Achievement in Child Advocacy and she has received the 1988 11-Alive Community Service Award, the 1983 Georgia Volunteer of the Year, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Public Service Award; 1991 Alumnae Leadership Award for Salem College, and the 1990 DECA Award, one of ten outstanding business women in Atlanta.
Ann is past chair of the United Way of Metro-Atlanta, Research Atlanta, the Arts and Business Council; the WorldClass Schools Foundation; past president of the Junior League of Atlanta, Inc. and was selected by the YWCA for its first Outstanding Women of Achievement Recognition in 1984. She has participated in Leadership Atlanta, Leadership Georgia and the Regional Leadership Institute, is a member of Outstanding Atlanta, and chaired Leadership Atlanta’s 25th Anniversary Celebration. Also, she chaired the Volunteer Task Force for the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG), was appointed the public member and has served as the Chairman of the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.
