Dr. Sanja Cancar-Todorovic, a Capella University graduate, has never been content to let ideas stay on the page. Since earning her Doctor of Business Administration in Strategy and Innovation, she has translated her doctoral research into a published practitioner’s guide on AI-driven cybersecurity, earned recognition as a 2025 Changemaker of the Year and released a second edition of her Amazon bestselling book. Today, she leads global initiatives at Microsoft while advising the next generation of AI leaders. For Dr. Cancar-Todorovic, the doctorate was not a finish line but a launchpad.
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Dr. Sanja Cancar-Todorovic: Since completing a DBA degree, specializing in Strategy and Innovation, I have authored the Practitioner’s Guide to AI-Driven Cybersecurity Implementation, equipping leaders with strategies to foster cross-departmental collaboration, harness AI-powered cybersecurity systems, and strengthen technological resilience. This book was inspired by my doctoral dissertation, Strategic Implementation of AI-Driven Cybersecurity Systems to Combat Emerging Threats in the Financial Sector, which explored best practices for addressing cybersecurity threats and optimizing AI-driven security systems to enhance technological resilience, with a focus on the critical role of cross-functional leadership collaboration. Expanding on my doctoral research, I also joined the organization AI Future Leaders as a strategic advisor, where I support efforts to advance accessible AI education and strengthen leadership readiness for the next generation. In recognition of years of collaboration with nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and policymakers, I was deeply honored in 2025 to be named Changemaker of the Year at the Women Changing the World Awards, as well as receiving the runner-up distinction for Woman of the Year. These recognitions are reminders of the responsibility we all share to thoughtfully shape the world around us, especially as rapid technological advancement continues to redefine how we live, work, and connect.
Lastly, I have published a 2nd edition of my 2023 Be Bold and Brilliant book – a 2023 Amazon Bestseller in the Career Guide category and a recipient of the 2025 International Impact Book Award. Each chapter has been revisited to reflect the realities of today’s workplace, where adaptability, interdisciplinary thinking, and human-centered leadership matter more than ever. The goal is to help readers navigate this new AI era with confidence, and to understand how to partner with intelligent technologies while continuing to grow, lead, and create value.
Please tell us about your professional accomplishment(s).
Dr. Sanja Todorovic: Dr. SCT is a business exec with over 25 years of leadership experience spanning the Telecom, Finance, and Tech industries. As a leader in Microsoft’s CO+I Global Supply Chain team, she leads global initiatives focused on sourcing capacity and demand planning for Commercial Cloud and AI Data Center Integration for Hyperscale and Colocation projects. An advocate for Diversity of Thought, Dr. SCT has mentored women and minority entrepreneurs since 2013 through various nonprofit partnerships. In 2020, she collaborated with the Haslam College of Business to advance Supplier Diversity and Economic Inclusion. In 2023, she advised the Government of Canada’s ICTC on the “Pathways for Success” toolkit, began mentoring with NPower, and co-founded goBeyondBounds.org. In 2025, Dr. SCT joined York University’s “Advancing YU” mentorship program. This passion also led her to author “Be Bold and Brilliant” in 2023, her debut book, which quickly became an Amazon Bestseller and earned the International Impact Book Award in 2025.
In recognition of her years of collaboration with nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, and policymakers, Dr. SCT was honored in 2025 as the Women Changing the World Awards – Changemaker of the Year, and the Runner-Up distinction for the Woman of the Year Award.
Expanding on her doctoral research in AI and cybersecurity, Dr. SCT also joined “AI Future Leaders” as a strategic advisor. Building on her academic expertise and decades of diverse industry leadership, in 2025 she authored the “Practitioner’s Guide to AI-Driven Cybersecurity Implementation”, that equips leaders with strategies to foster cross-departmental collaboration, harness AI-powered cybersecurity systems, and strengthen tech resilience.
A sought-after speaker, her insights have been featured internationally across media, publications, podcasts, and major industry events. She has appeared on the covers of leading industry magazines and has received multiple leadership honors.
Your doctoral research evolved into a published guide on AI-driven cybersecurity. What was the process of translating your dissertation into practical, real-world strategies for business leaders?
Dr. Sanja Cancar-Todorovic: While numerous scholarly and practitioner studies explore the technical dimensions of advanced technologies and AI-driven cybersecurity systems, I found that technology alone is not sufficient. Without the human expertise to implement, operate, sustain, and evolve these systems, their full potential cannot be realized. The conversation around advanced technologies and AI must not overlook the critical role of human capital; the skilled professionals needed to bring these innovations to life, ensure their ongoing relevance, and unlock their true value.
Inspired by my doctoral research on the strategic implementation of AI-driven cybersecurity systems in the financial industry, I combined academic insight with decades of diverse industry experience to publish a Strategic Implementation of AI-Driven Cybersecurity Systems: A Practitioner’s Guide to Leveraging Cross-Departmental Collaboration to Tackle Emerging Threats. My dissertation was grounded in qualitative research, drawing on the lived experiences and insights of cybersecurity and financial services leaders across North America, and my thought process was simple: if I could crack the code to strategic implementation of AI-driven cybersecurity systems to enhance technological resilience within a FI highly regulated environment, that framework would not only be comprehensive but also broadly applicable across industries. Translating my doctoral research into a practical guide applicable to all industries was a very intentional process of bridging academic rigor with real-world relevance. The first step was distilling complex theoretical frameworks and thematic findings, particularly around cross-departmental collaboration, technological resilience, and AI integration, into clear, actionable insights. From there, I translated key insights into strategic frameworks, decision-making models, and real-world use cases that business leaders could easily understand and apply, regardless of their technical background. A critical part of this process was shifting the language from academic to executive, which entailed removing jargon, simplifying complexity without losing depth, and anchoring every recommendation in tangible business outcomes. I also incorporated scenario-based examples and practical implementation steps to ensure the guidance is not just informative, but executable.
Designed for leaders across industries, my Amazon-published book, Strategic Implementation of AI-Driven Cybersecurity Systems: A Practitioner’s Guide to Leveraging Cross-Departmental Collaboration to Tackle Emerging Threats, delivers actionable strategies for addressing today’s evolving risk landscape. It equips organizations to harness cross-functional collaboration in deploying AI-driven cybersecurity solutions while strengthening overall technological resilience. Whether just beginning the AI cybersecurity journey or advancing existing capabilities, the guide offers a clear, structured roadmap grounded in real-world application.
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