Heather Doran doesn’t just drive outcomes; she builds systems where others can succeed, scale, and shine.
As Head of Business Operations and Chief of Staff for Microsoft’s Commercial Cloud and AI Marketing organization, Heather has been a catalyst for some of Microsoft’s most strategic marketing and operational initiatives. From budget strategy and spend optimization to operational efficiency and change management, her influence is woven through transformative efforts that shape how Microsoft engages customers, partners, and communities.
“It’s not just what you drive—it’s what you enable”
Her leadership philosophy is rooted in intentionality and empowerment. That belief guides how she leads, with precision, empathy, and a relentless focus on enabling others. She’s known for asking hard questions, surfacing unseen blockers, and building trust by pairing accountability with genuine care.
One of her greatest impacts has been building bridges, between teams, between strategy and execution, and between vision and reality. She creates the connective tissue that turns ideas into outcomes, ensuring diverse voices are included and empowered in high-stakes moments.
Her commitment to access extends beyond corporate walls. As Chairwoman of the Board for Hesperus, a Native American nonprofit, she has championed IT skills development in Native American communities, demonstrating that leadership is as much about opening doors as it is about walking through them.
Heather’s approach to democratizing opportunity is anchored in three strategies: aligning systems that create clarity and cohesion across complex initiatives; modeling transparency and accountability to help others navigate opaque structures; and bridging communities to champion representation, ensuring that access isn’t tied to proximity or privilege, but to intentional design. Through this, she continues to shape a legacy of bold, transparent, and inclusive leadership.
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/
