SUMmary
Consultant and author Christine Haskell helps organizations understand the human skills needed for effective Data Skills are the critical lever enabling the social circuitry of organizations.
Location:
United States
State:
Seattle
Gender:
Female, She/Her
Available For:
Remote or Face-to-face interviews, podcasts, panel discussions, or panel moderation
ABOUT ME
BIO: 150-word
Christine Haskell is a seasoned leader in data strategy and decision-making and Principal of Dative.works, a consultancy that helps teams bridge the gap between data and business disciplines to improve outcomes in complex environments. With nearly 30 years in information management, she holds a Master’s in Applied Behavioral Science and a doctorate in Organizational Psychology. At Microsoft, Christine helped pioneer Big Data and Cloud initiatives, shaping early AI strategy and enterprise adoption.
She is the author of Driving Data Projects and Driving Your Self-Discovery, which explore how adaptive practices support leadership and decision-making under pressure. Her work helps leaders reduce risk, surface assumptions, and align data practices with real-world results.
Christine teaches in the EMBA MIS program at Washington State University, serves as Guest Editor for Leadership & Organization Development Journal, and sits on the editorial board of Human Systems Management (Sage). For speaking, advising, or collaboration, reach out at chaskell99@gmail.com.
Alternate Bios
1. Speaker Intro (≈60 words)
Christine Haskell is Principal of Dative.works, a consultancy helping leaders align data strategy with decision-making in complex environments. A former Microsoft leader in Big Data and AI, she teaches in WSU’s EMBA program and is the author of Driving Data Projects and Driving Your Self-Discovery. Christine brings 30 years of experience at the intersection of systems, values, and leadership.
2. LinkedIn About Section (≈75 words)
I help leaders make smarter, values-aligned decisions in data-rich environments. As Principal of Dative.works, I advise organizations navigating complex systems and adaptive challenges. With nearly 30 years in information management and a background in behavioral science, I’ve led enterprise AI strategy, authored two books, and taught in the WSU EMBA program. My work sits at the intersection of data, ethics, and decision-making.
3. Panelist or Conference Bio (≈90 words)
Christine Haskell is Principal of Dative.works and a seasoned advisor in data strategy and leadership. With 30 years in information management and a doctorate in Organizational Psychology, she has helped organizations—from Microsoft to mission-driven nonprofits—navigate complexity, mitigate risk, and make values-aligned decisions. She is the author of Driving Data Projects and Driving Your Self-Discovery (2024), teaches in WSU’s EMBA MIS program, and serves on editorial boards focused on leadership and human systems.
Topics I Can Discuss:
Driving Self-Awareness, Driving Results Through Others, Principles of Success, Making Data Projects Work, Importance of Ambidexterity/Adaptability, Ruthless Prioritization, Developing Systems for Consistency, Cultivating Collaboration, Cultivating Partnership Ecologies, Data Translation, Data Governance (and AI), Data Strategy (and AI), Data Skills/Human Skills, Data as an extension of a DEI strategy
10 Interview Questions You Can Ask Me
Anticipating resistance (table stakes for any transformation)
Why your data initiative might be telling the wrong story (measuring ROI)
The evolution of data culture - and the roles of the CDO-CHRO-CIO
The subtle art of cultivating beginner’s mind. Why we don’t ask “why” more often? The deceptive simplicity of asking “why.” (data culture, old HR systems/incentives)
CDOs must cultivate an ecosystem - no longer hierarchical
Describing data consumption to anyone (marketplace metaphor)
Data Literacy
Insurance:
Cyber
Protecting Data as Business Imperative
Data Quality
Monocropping Teams - to code or not to code
What are the most common mistakes data professionals make when delivering results?
What are the hidden costs of miscommunication between business and analytic teams?
What happens when business and technology teams lack trust?
When should we use the 5Whys v Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle “Why” — and why? :-) (interpersonal awareness, storytelling)
What common traps do business leaders fall into, and how can they avoid them?
What is a data translator, and why does your organization need one?
Why do over 80% of data projects fail?
How can we create a governance forum that truly engages and motivates the stakeholder group?
Why we need to tell a more holistic data story (and why only valuing data teams on cost reduction undervalues them).
What is an ordinary, overlooked skill that causes data projects to fail?
BONUS: Should CDOs know how to code?
Published
Haskell, Christine (2025). Leadership in the Accountability Era: Strategies for Preventing Values Drift through Deliberate System Design. Journal of Values-Based Leadership, Vol. 18, Issue 2 (Summer/Fall).