Leadership, Chaitra Vedullapalli and Dee Dee Walsh argue in ICONIC Leadership, out on Amazon this September, operates at every level of a system at once, from an individual mentor to a regulatory office to a boardroom. To make that case across more than one vantage point, the two built the book’s ICONIC ARC framework from 20 co-authors’ own chapters rather than a single point of view, with the Collective Action pillar carrying that systems-level argument most directly.
Two of those co-authors, Patty Kuderer and Karen Cone, bring perspectives from opposite sides of the same industry: one from a state regulator’s office, the other from corporate boardrooms.
Kuderer currently serves as Washington’s Insurance Commissioner, sworn in this January, overseeing an office that regulates a $44.5 billion industry in the state and responds to more than 120,000 consumer requests each year. She previously served as the state’s first female senator for the 48th Legislative District, focused on healthcare access and consumer protection from surprise medical billing, and has served for years as a board advisor to Women in Cloud.
Cone’s career runs through the institutions Kuderer’s office regulates. She served as General Manager of Worldwide Financial Services at Microsoft, held senior vice president and general manager roles at Gartner, and led TowerGroup as CEO and board director. She now serves as a board director for fintech and deep tech companies and as a venture partner at Mastersfund, advising early-stage companies in AI, blockchain, and digital assets.
Their inclusion reflects how broad the 20-co-author roster is by design, spanning policy, enterprise technology, philanthropy, venture capital, and public health. The campaign’s launch team extends that same range further, drawing on 150+ Book Ambassadors, Women in Cloud’s board advisors, #empowHERaccess Awards attendees, and strategic community partners to carry the book’s publicity push, alongside editorial angles like “Corporate Leadership Benchmark: How ICONIC Is Your Leadership Culture?”
Women in Cloud has also been upfront about the realities of a crowdfunding timeline. Physical production and shipping run through partners like Amazon and IngramSpark, and delays can happen for reasons outside the campaign’s control. The team has committed to updating backers directly if any timeline shifts. What won’t change, they’ve said, is that the book will be published, the digital rewards will be delivered, and the 20 co-authors are already committed.
Individual pledges on the ICONIC Leadership Kickstarter range from a $1 supporter tier up through executive-level sponsorship with private workshop and keynote access, alongside the Book Sponsor Program for organizations donating copies to schools, libraries, and community groups.
