Her Story
About Michelle
Michelle Burwinkle serves as Americas Operations Director for the Transportation Industry at DXC Technology, where she leads operations excellence across the Americas market. Her portfolio spans the governance framework that underpins the company's management operating system, key initiatives tied to client engagement and market growth, and the oversight of sales pipeline management and strategy. Her career spans more than three decades with a single lineage of information technology outsourcing organizations — EDS, HP, HPE Enterprise Services and, following the merger with CSC, DXC Technology — during which she has built depth in administration, business development within established client portfolios, sales training, program management, account growth strategy and planning, and operations leadership. Much of that work has centered on guiding account teams through the development of short- and long-term growth strategies and shaping differentiated value propositions that generate mutual value for DXC and its clients.
Her academic foundation began at the American Institute of Commerce, where she studied business administration and management, and was extended through an extensive series of internal training programs at EDS, now DXC Technology. She later earned a certification in Innovation, Strategy and Finance from London Business School. Burwinkle credits her advancement to the leaders who consistently saw potential in her and encouraged her to accept unfamiliar assignments, and she carries that forward through a commitment to servant leadership — an approach that prioritizes the success of the team over titles or hierarchy. She encourages the next generation of professionals to stay curious, seek out demanding work, cultivate mentors, and remain genuinely receptive to coaching. Looking at the pace of technological change, she views artificial intelligence as an opening rather than a threat, advocating for workforce upskilling and structured change management so that teams can move away from transactional tasks and toward higher-value contributions.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Burwinkle contributes her time to the camera and production department at her church and is a consistent supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She is an avid outdoorswoman who logs long-distance hikes alongside her white German Shepherd and spends considerable time on disc golf courses with her son, who shares an enthusiasm for the sport. Travel is another lasting interest, especially trips that allow her to explore museums and historical sites — she has a particular appreciation for destinations where history can be walked through rather than simply read about.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Michelle
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute it, honestly, to the great leaders I have worked for. At every point in my career where I moved up, took on new responsibility, or stepped into a field I wasn't entirely comfortable with, there was a leader who believed in me. They saw something in me that I didn't always see in myself, and they pushed me forward in the best possible way while supporting me through it. I have been fortunate to be surrounded by exceptional leaders across my long career here.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't be afraid. You already have everything you need — take that next step with no fear.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Learn as much as you can and soak up everything around you. Stay curious, take on challenging tasks, and pursue the opportunities that stretch you and push you outside your comfort zone. Find mentors as well. The leaders I worked for became mentors to me, and having someone like that at every stage of your career and development makes a real difference — someone you can confide in, who will coach you and guide you. Most importantly, be open to that coaching and mentoring when it comes.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
There are many challenges right now, particularly with the fast-paced growth of technology and the arrival of AI, along with the impact that change has on people. We need to upskill our talent and put a strong change management program in place so that people understand what this means for their roles. I encourage everyone to see it as an opportunity — to take advantage of the technology, use it to level up, and become the human in the loop who makes the outcome even better. We now have the chance to shift away from transactional work that AI and other tools can handle, and move toward higher-value work, which I think is a tremendous opportunity. It can feel very scary, so it's important that people educate themselves rather than panic, and think about how to leverage AI for their own benefit, their company's benefit, and their clients' benefit.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Servant leadership is at the top of the list for me. I do everything I can to make sure others are successful, because when they succeed, we all succeed. I don't focus on titles or the other things that get in the way of simply getting the work done. It doesn't matter what the title is — what matters is serving others and doing what I can to help them succeed.
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