Innovation is most meaningful when it starts with those who have been left out—and Leigh Felton has dedicated her career to making sure no one is left behind.
As a Black, neurodiverse, queer woman with a non-visible disability, Leigh has turned lived experience into leadership, building pathways for communities too often excluded from the systems shaping our future.
At Microsoft, Leigh led the Responsible AI Enablement & Implementation Program, where she co-launched the Responsible AI Champs Program—a global initiative that empowered over 300 employees across 40+ countries to embed ethical and inclusive AI practices into their business group’s mindset, products, and services. Within just one-year, Responsible AI readiness scores rose by 30%, showing measurable progress toward systems that value equity, transparency, and trust.
“True innovation begins when the people most excluded from the system are empowered to design it.”
Beyond Microsoft, Leigh has consistently translated systems change into real-world impact. As Director of Economic Development for the State of Washington, she restored $30 million in funding to support small businesses, directing vital resources to Black- and woman-owned startups. Today, as Board Chair of AI for Job Security, Leigh helps historically excluded communities unlock the potential of AI through education, training, and policy advocacy—ensuring AI is not a threat, but a tool for empowerment.
Through public speaking, policy leadership, and community engagement, Leigh’s work shows that centering on lived experience isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s how we create systems that truly serve everyone. Her story is proof that when those most excluded are empowered to lead, innovation becomes transformational.
About #empowHER50 campaign: This campaign celebrates women leaders at Microsoft, past and present, who have been instrumental in democratizing access to technology, opportunity, and growth. By honoring their contributions over the last half-century, this campaign highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and inclusivity. Through digital spotlights, a commemorative coffee table book, live recognition events, and more, the campaign inspires collective action toward achieving equitable societal goals. To learn more about empowHER50, please visit https://womenincloud.com/empowHER50
To learn about Microsoft 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/
