The Official "Short" Bio
Chris Shipley is a leading technology and product analyst, and CEO of Guidewire Group, a software and services company providing tools to make startup businesses more competitive.
Best known as the executive producer of the DEMO Conferences from 1996 - 2009, Shipley helped technology companies bring more than 1,500 new products to market. As co-founder and CEO of Guidewire Group, she works with emerging technology companies around the world to identify market opportunities and accelerate business growth.
An award-winning technology journalist, Shipley began covering the personal technology industry in 1984, and and has worked as a writer and editor for a variety of technology and consumer media. Fortune Small Business Magazine placed Shipley on its "Top 10 Minds in Small Business," and the San Jose Business Journal named her a "Woman of Distinction." She has often been cited as a leading influencer by Marketing Computers magazine. In 2010, she received SDForum's Visionary Award for her work with technology entrepreneurs.
Shipley holds BAs in Literature and Communication Arts from Allegheny College.
The Painfully Long Bio
Chris Shipley has covered the personal technology business since 1984 and is regarded as one of the top analysts in technology. As co-founder and CEO of Guidewire Group, she works with emerging technology companies around the world to identify market opportunities and accelerate business growth. She s produced the DEMO conferences for International Data Group (IDG) from 1996-2009 during which time she helped companies including TiVo, WebEx, VMWare and Salesforce.com, among many others, bring their first products to market.
Prior to joining the DEMO organization, Chris briefly ran her own media strategy and consulting company. She began her career in technology journalism in 1984 with Ziff-Davis Publishing, where she worked as a writer and editor for PC Week, PC/Computing, and Computer Life. In 1992, she joined the online publishing group at Ziff-Davis where she was editorial director for a range of ZiffNet services that formed the foundation for ZDNet.
Chris has won numerous awards for journalistic excellence, and was three times named the #1 newsletter editor by Technology Marketing for her work on DEMOletter. Over the years, she has written for PC Magazine, InfoWorld, Working Woman and Us Magazine, as well as a regional travel magazine.. She has written two books on communications and Internet technology. In 2002, Fortune Small Business Magazine included Chris on its list of 'most perfect board of directors' and in 2010 she received the SDForum Visionary Award for her work with technology entrepreneurs.
She is an advisory board member to several startup ventures. Chris graduated from Allegheny College with a B.A. in literature and communications arts. She lives in the San Francisco Bay area.
