Sheila Talton

Cleveland-born Sheila Talton currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Gray Matter Analytics, a firm she established in 2013 that focuses on data analytics consulting services in the healthcare industry. Previously, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of SGT Ltd., a firm that provides strategy and technology consulting services in the financial services, healthcare and technology business sectors, from 2011 to 2013. From 2008 to 2011, Ms. Talton served as Vice President, Office of Globalization, for Cisco Systems, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of networking, switching and server/virtualization technology products related to the communication and information technology industries. Prior to that time, she held other leadership positions at Cisco Systems, Inc., Electronic Data Systems Corporation and Ernst & Young, LLP. Ms. Talton’s service in leadership roles with a variety of global technology and consulting firms provided her with extensive knowledge of and experience in information technology systems and cybersecurity.

Ms. Talton currently serves on the boards of directors of Sysco Corp., Deere & Company, and OGE Energy Corp., and has previously served on the boards of Wintrust Financial Corporation and ACCO Brands Corporation. Ms. Talton has been a Congressional appointee on the U.S. White House Women’s Business Council. She also has been recognized as one of the “Top 10 Women in Technology” by Enterprising Women and as “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the National Federation of Black Women Business Owners. She has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Hospital Foundation, the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and the Chicago Urban League. Ms. Talton was recognized by The National Association of Corporate Directors in 2018 as among the most influential people in the boardroom community.

Ms. Talton attended Northern Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and Speech Communication in 1980, and Harvard Business School’s Executive Program.