Ellen Cowan

A Principal Innovation Advisor specializing in digital product development and business innovation, Ellen Cowan helps AWS customers prioritize strategic initiatives, invent new solutions, and accelerate innovation. In recognition of her work with 100s of customers, she received the AWSome Legend Award, as well as Bravo Success, OneTeam, Dive Deep and Game-Changer Awards. Ellen serves as an AWS Champion for Culture of Innovation, Learning from Amazon and EPIC Leadership and has mentored dozens of peers towards certifications to scale innovation. She “co-wrote the doc” for several mechanisms adopted at AWS globally, including the Innovation Concierge, Working Backwards for Generative AI, and Executive Alignment. Prior to her work at AWS, Ellen was a Managing Director in digital and innovation at Accenture (Avanade), and before that a product strategy and business development executive for a boutique digital agency in New York. Her teams' work garnered digital experience awards by Forrester, Gartner, Nielson Gorman Group, and the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (Webby). A certified cloud and human-centered design practitioner, she served as a product and business development consultant to a range of companies including TMP, Oracle RightNow and LinkedIn. Passionate about innovation for social impact, Ellen has been involved with a range of innovation-focused non-profits and impact organizations, including Women in Innovation, Technology for Social Good, United Nations Innovation Fund, and the Aspen Institute. She serves as product advisor for Scribl, a creative tool that builds humanity and connection (peacelove.org).