ACM Appoints Alison Derbenwick Miller as CEO and Executive Director
Longtime ACM Volunteer Leader and Global Technology Executive to Lead the World’s Largest Computing Society Through Its Next Chapter of Growth and Impact
New York, NY, July 28, 2026 – ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, today announced the appointment of Alison Derbenwick Miller as its Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, effective August 3, 2026.
Derbenwick Miller brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience spanning research, education, enterprise technology, and global partnerships. A longtime ACM volunteer leader, she most recently served as Co-Chair of the ACM Education Board and as an ACM Council Member-at-Large. Before assuming the role of CEO and Executive Director, Derbenwick Miller served as Chief Research Officer at Elev8Data following more than 30 years at Oracle.
As CEO and Executive Director, Derbenwick Miller will work alongside ACM’s volunteer leadership and professional staff to strengthen the Association’s role as the global home for the computing community while advancing its mission of research, education, professional development, and scientific collaboration.
“Alison brings an outstanding combination of executive leadership, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of ACM’s mission,” said Elisa Bertino, President of ACM. “Throughout her career, she has built global organizations, expanded opportunities in computing education and research, and forged meaningful partnerships across academia, industry, and government. Combined with her longstanding service to ACM, those experiences make her exceptionally well qualified to lead the Association as computing continues to evolve and shape our world. I look forward to working with Alison as we continue to strengthen ACM’s role as the global home for the computing community.”
During her tenure at Oracle, Derbenwick Miller founded Oracle for Research, accelerating it into a global organization serving 840 institutions across 41 countries. As Vice President of Oracle Academy, she grew the program’s reach from approximately 1.5 million to 6 million+ students annually while building long-term partnerships with universities, governments, and professional societies worldwide. Her leadership also included securing more than $200 million in Oracle funding for research and education initiatives, and representing various organizations in international research, education, and policy forums.
“ACM has long been the place where the computing community comes together to advance ideas, share knowledge, and shape the future of our profession,” said Derbenwick Miller. “As AI, quantum computing, and other emerging technologies reshape nearly every aspect of society, the computing community is expanding across industries and academic disciplines. At this moment, ACM’s mission has never been more important. I look forward to working with our members, volunteers, partners, and staff to welcome new computing communities, strengthen ACM’s impact, and ensure both current and the next generation of computing professionals continue to lead with technical excellence and a commitment to the public good.”
An active ACM volunteer for more than a decade, Derbenwick Miller has also served as a member of the ACM Presidential Taskforce on Finance and on the Board of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). Her deep knowledge of the Association, combined with decades of executive leadership experience, uniquely positions her to lead ACM through its next chapter.
A graduate of Stanford University with University Distinction, Derbenwick Miller earned Bachelor’s Degrees in History (with honors) and Communication (Journalism). She later earned a Master’s Degree in Jurisprudence and Social Policy from the UC Berkeley School of Law. Her interests span computing education, intellectual property law, women in technology, and the intersection of high-performance computing and scientific research. She lives in Castle Pines, Colorado, with her husband and two children.
About ACM
ACM, the Association for Computing Machinery, is the world’s largest educational and scientific computing society, uniting educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field’s challenges. ACM strengthens the computing profession’s collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life-long learning, career development, and professional networking.