Izabela Miller
Izabela Miller is an accomplished IT and GIS professional with over 20 years of experience transforming technical talent into effective leaders. As the founder of Growing Curiosity, she partners with public-sector, nonprofit, and private organizations to implement clear IT and GIS strategies, develop leadership roadmaps, and drive meaningful outcomes. Her expertise spans IT strategy, GIS governance, technology roadmaps, and leadership coaching, making her a sought-after advisor for organizations looking to future-proof their infrastructure and empower teams to deliver measurable results. Izabela is also the #1 international bestselling author of The Science of GIS Leadership, a guide for technical professionals aspiring to move from operational roles into leadership positions.
Throughout her career, Izabela has moved from technical GIS roles to executive leadership, including her tenure as Director of Information Technology for the Greater Salt Lake Municipal Services District. There, she led enterprise-wide initiatives, including infrastructure management, cybersecurity, cloud services, and cross-departmental systems integration, while fostering a culture of innovation. She also created and led the GIS/IT team within the MSD, providing strategic direction, operational management, and mentorship to emerging leaders, all while aligning technology initiatives with organizational goals.
In addition to her professional achievements, Izabela is deeply committed to mentoring and supporting the next generation of GIS and IT leaders. She actively contributes to organizations like Women in Biz Systems and Women Techmakers, and volunteers on the Holladay City Business Advisory Board to strengthen community and economic development. Fluent in both English and Polish, she brings a global perspective to her work, emphasizing empathy, human-centered leadership, and continuous growth—principles she integrates into every project, workshop, and coaching session she leads.
• OKR Master Certification
• Mastering Design Thinking
• Certified ScrumMaster
• Supervisory Certificate Program
• ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management
• Southern Utah University- M.P.A.
• Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu- Master's
• Phi Alpha Alpha
• Women in Biz Systems
• Women Techmakers
• Salt Lake County Women's Leadership
• Internal Recognition Subcommittee of Customer Service Champions
• Salt Lake County Customer Service Champions Member
• Utah Geographic Information Council
• Holladay City Business Advisory Board
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to curiosity, resilience, and a commitment to creating real impact - not just delivering outputs. I’ve learned to pair deep technical expertise with the ability to translate complexity into clarity for executives and teams. I also credit the mentors, coaches, peers, and communities who challenged me to grow, and the courage to keep showing up even when I didn’t feel “ready.” Consistent small steps, strong relationships, and staying anchored to purpose have made the biggest difference.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
“Don’t wait to be invited - take ownership and lead from where you are.”
That advice shifted everything for me. It reminded me that leadership isn’t a title - it’s behavior. Speak up when you see a better way, build trust through service, and make it easy for others to understand the value you’re bringing. Opportunity follows people who create clarity and momentum.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Build your technical foundation - but don’t stop there. Practice communication early: learn how to explain your work in business language, tell stories with data, and advocate for outcomes, not tools. Find mentors (and sponsors), ask for stretch opportunities, and don’t shrink in rooms where decisions are made.
And get out of your own way. We can be our biggest supporters and our biggest enemies. It’s easy to overthink, evaluate everything ten times, and wait for the “perfect” moment - but perfection can hold you hostage. Take action, learn fast, and let progress be your proof of capability.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that many organizations still see GIS and enterprise technology as “support functions” rather than strategic capabilities. The opportunity is enormous: location intelligence, data integration, and AI-enabled decision-making can transform how organizations plan, respond, and serve people - if leaders can connect the work to priorities executives already care about (risk, revenue, efficiency, customer experience, resilience). The field is moving fast, and the leaders who can bridge technology and human impact will define what’s next.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, communication, collaboration, adventure, and trust. I believe leadership is built on these - and when you combine them, you don’t just strengthen your team, you elevate the entire organization. Integrity keeps you grounded, communication creates clarity, collaboration builds ownership, adventure keeps you growing, and trust turns individual effort into shared momentum and real impact.
