Hannah’s 20-year career across the world’s most iconic tech companies—Amazon, Apple, Microsoft—is a study in building human-centered systems that meet people where they are, especially in life’s most critical moments. She builds scalable, innovative technology and grows thoughtful organizations to help people—especially in moments that matter. Whether it’s a child in rural Kenya reading their first book in their own language, a Veteran accessing care after military service, or a student collaborating on a digital whiteboard in class, her focus is on empowering leaders and creating human-centered, intuitive, and high-impact products.
At Amazon, she led engineering for the first Kindle and its next-gen successors, bringing the joy of reading to more than 50 million people in 30+ languages. Her patents—including the Kindle Lighted Cover and “Find Your Device” feature—pioneered accessible design at scale. At Apple, she helped engineer the original Mac Mini, iMacs, and MacBooks, building hardware that would become everyday creative tools for millions.
When she joined Microsoft, Hannah brought that same focus on accessibility, empathy, and excellence to her work. In Microsoft Education, she led engineering for Microsoft Whiteboard across mobile, web, and Surface Hub, creating a lifeline for collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also filed foundational patents that made virtual engagement easier, including the now-ubiquitous “hand raise” feature.
Later, in Substrate, she transformed Microsoft 365’s personalization capabilities using AI and behavioral signals. At Xbox, she led the Gaming Experiences team, shipping cross-platform integrations with Discord and Riot Games that redefined multiplayer connection across SmartTVs, PCs, and mobile.
But her legacy extends far beyond product innovation.
As CTO of Worldreader, she helped scale a literacy platform that now reaches over 22 million children in 100+ countries. Today, as Senior Technical Advisor to the CIO at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Hannah is applying her expertise at the largest healthcare system in the country. From AI-driven burnout prevention tools to modernizing a $28.6B benefits platform, she’s building systems that directly improve care for 9.1 million Veterans and their families.
A relentless advocate for access, Hannah taught computer science to high school students through Microsoft TEALS, mentors young women in STEM, and served as a nationally certified EMT and firefighter during the height of COVID. Her leadership is thoughtful, powerful, and deeply human.
For Hannah Lewbel, the ultimate measure of impact isn’t just what you build—it’s who you empower to make more good happen in all the moments that matter.
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’s 50th celebrations: https://news.microsoft.com/microsoft-50/
