Kirstie Chadwick has over twenty two years of experience in the high technology industry, and has worked for a variety of technology organizations, both large and small. Kirstie graduated Summa Cum Laude from UCF with a degree in Computer Science in 1987, and started her career as a software engineer at Lockheed Martin. In 1990, Kirstie began her career at early stage technology companies as a Business Development director at Wind River Systems. While at Wind River, Kirstie helped grow the company from $4 million in revenues to over $50 million, and participated in the company's IPO.

 For the next thirteen years, Kirstie worked at the executive level in several startup technology companies that included Sun Microsystems, Microtech Research, Mentor Graphics and ISR Global Telecom. Kirstie’s career at entrepreneurial startups cumulated in 1999 when Kirstie co-founded her own software company, DigitalOwl. As the CEO of DigitalOwl, Kirstie successfully raised $13.2 million in venture capital during the recessive 2000 market crash. DigitalOwl grew into a brand-name within the digital rights management software space, and served a variety of publishing and financial industry clients including McGraw-Hill, Time Warner and SwissRE.

As a result of her varied startup experiences, Kirstie has worked for companies that went public, that were purchased, and that failed. These experiences have provided Kirstie with extensive knowledge in the dynamics of how successful startup technology firms grow and gain market share.

Kirstie is the recipient of UCF’s 2003 Presidential Fellowship Award, the 2001 Women Who Mean Business Award from the Orlando Business Journal, the 2001 Southeast Working Women Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, and the Dr. W. Judson King Memorial Award for entrepreneurs that make a difference in their communities. Kirstie was an active participant of Mayor Glenda Hood’s Orlando High Tech Council.