About Prentice Gate Advisors

Clarity for Data and AI Leadership Decisions

Prentice Gate Advisors exists to help organizations turn complexity into clarity around data, analytics, governance, and AI.

I work with enterprise data leaders and early-stage technology founders at moments where strategy, organization, and execution collide, when decisions are difficult, stakes are high, and simple answers don’t exist.

My Background

I’ve spent more than 35 years working across the full lifecycle of data and analytics platforms—from early decision-support systems to modern, AI-enabled data ecosystems.

My career includes:

Leadership roles in nine software startups
Participation in three IPOs
Multiple acquisitions into large enterprise vendors
Senior roles including Field CTO and VP of Customer Success
Building and running large, data-focused consulting practices

Across these roles, I’ve worked directly with enterprise executives, product teams, architects, and practitioners—seeing firsthand what works, what fails, and why. That experience informs how I advise today.

How I work

I don’t sell tools, frameworks, or packaged methodologies.

My work is advisory and fractional in nature, focused on:

Data & AI strategy and operating models
Metadata as an active control layer
Governance that enables speed and trust
Organizational design, ownership, and decision rights
Product strategy grounded in enterprise reality

I’m often brought in when:

Governance has become friction instead of enablement
AI initiatives are moving faster than operating models can support
Ownership and accountability are unclear
Leaders need an experienced, neutral perspective

Thought Leadership

In addition to advisory work, I write regularly for enterprise data leaders.

Author of The Goal is Autonomous Governance
Writer of the TDAN column Crossing the Data Divide, exploring data leadership, operating models, and AI readiness

My writing reflects the same perspective I bring to advisory work: practical, opinionated, and grounded in real-world experience.

Who I Work With

I typically work with:

CIOs, CDOs, CDAOs, and data & analytics leaders
Founders and product leaders building data and AI platforms
Organizations navigating scale, decentralization, and AI adoption

Engagements are intentionally selective and designed around clarity, not volume.

Why "Prentice Gate"

The name Prentice Gate comes from the memorial gateway at Kent State University, where I studied.

The Prentice Gate was dedicated in 1935 in honor of May H. Prentice, the first woman faculty member at the college. She was remembered for her dedication to teaching, her understanding heart, and her lasting influence on generations of students. Kent State University

For me, the Prentice Gate represents more than a physical entrance; it symbolizes the transition into deeper learning, clarity, and lifelong commitment to understanding.

Let's Talk

If data, analytics, or AI feel harder than they should, or if clarity is the constraint, I’m happy to talk.

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