Who was Gail Evans? Career explored as Disney Chief Technology Officer reportedly passes away
According to reports by industry experts, Disney Experiences' Executive Vice President and Chief Digital and Technology Officer (CDTO), Gail Evans, has recently passed away. A Disney insider journalist, Scott Gustin, took to X on October 30 to break the news.
He uploaded a photo of Evans and wrote,
“Gail Evans, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Disney Experiences, has passed away. Evans joined Disney in 2022 after working at Mercer where she was named the company's first Global Chief Digital Officer in 2018.”
As per Mindas Memorial’s October 29 report, as the CDTO, Gail Evans oversaw a multinational, interdisciplinary staff. According to the same report, Gail's leadership fueled the creation of new products and the digital transformation of Disney Experiences by emphasizing research and ongoing testing.
All about Disney Chief Technology Officer Gail Evans as she reportedly passed away
Gail Evans held an MBA from the Simon Business School at the University of Rochester and a bachelor's degree from Nazareth College. She also had an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Nazareth College.
She later joined Disney, and under her, the CDTO team was responsible for creating an expanding range of products and experiences, such as MagicBand+ and Hey Disney!, which fuse the digital and real worlds. Gail aimed to combine innovation with Disney's legendary storytelling with these products.
In the same role, she led a global multidisciplinary team of digital, technology, product, data, and operations experts. She was also responsible for creating and executing digital and technology strategies for Disney Experiences companies worldwide.
According to the 2024 nominees list from Women in Technology Hollywood, Gail occupied various leadership roles during her career at Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, Mercer, Bank of America, and Eastman Kodak, where she served as the Chief Information Officer for Kodak's Consumer Digital division.
Additionally, she was nominated for the MIT Sloan CIO Leadership Award in 2019 and received the Digital Diversity Network's Phenom Award. She was also recognized as one of the Top 100 Chief Digital Officers and one of the Top 100 Women in Tech Leaders to watch in 2023 for her contributions to technology and digital leadership.
She also gained a reputation as a trailblazer in spearheading digital transformations in her previous position as Chief Digital Officer at Mercer. Additionally, as per Gone But Treasured’s October 29 report, she won the Phenom Award from the Digital Diversity Network in 2018 for her groundbreaking work in digital media and technology.
Moreover, Netflix's 2024 documentary Working: What We Do All Day featured her inspirational career story. Gail Evans was dedicated to promoting diversity in the workplace and actively mentored young women aspiring to jobs in technology. She further devoted her time to promoting diversity in the IT industry and spearheading campaigns to establish a welcoming workplace for all workers.
Moreover, Gail worked closely with the Center for Information Systems Research (CISR) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and advocated for connecting academic theory with real-world implementation. As per Disney Connect’s October 29 report, in addition to her official duties, Gail also had a strong interest in bridging the gap between academic research and practical application.
As per Inside the Magic’s October 30 report, Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, reportedly expressed profound condolences and praised Gail Evans for her leadership and vision. Doing the same, Iger said,
“Gail was a transformative force who reimagined the possibilities of technology in enhancing Disney experiences. Her commitment to excellence propelled Disney’s digital innovations in recent years. "
He continued:
"Gail was also a dedicated mentor, deeply invested in fostering the next generation of tech leaders. Her presence will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.”
However, as of the time of this publication, neither Gail Evans' family nor the local authorities have provided an official confirmation or cause of the death.