Author: Janna K. Valencia
Janna K. Valencia
Janna Valencia is a results-driven IT executive with over two decades of experience transforming enterprise technology strategies for Fortune 500 clients across financial, retail, consumer goods, transportation, and public sector markets. As Vice President and Vertical Head of Consumer & Public at Black Box, Janna leads sales growth and go-to-market execution for key verticals, including Intelligent Airports and large-scale retail and CPG deployments. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to innovation, a deep understanding of infrastructure and digital transformation, and a passion for building high-performing, cross-functional teams. Before joining Black Box, Janna served in several senior leadership roles, including Vice President and Senior Partner at Kyndryl, where she was the sales leader and oversaw managed infrastructure services for a Fortune 100 enterprise with global operations. At IBM, she led multi-billion-dollar client portfolios as Vice President of Sales for the Distribution Sector, selling and delivering complex IT modernization initiatives across retail, travel, and consumer brands for existing and new logo clients. Her tenure included direct leadership of teams exceeding 1,000 professionals and P&L responsibility for over $335M in annual revenue. Janna’s expertise spans cloud, cybersecurity, data center managed services, and AI integration, and she continues to advise on these topics as a subject matter expert with GLG and other consulting firms. Known as a change agent with an entrepreneurial mindset, she is highly respected by peers, clients, and partners for her ability to turn strategic vision into measurable outcomes. She holds a degree from the University of Wisconsin and is PMP certified by the Project Management Institute.
As airports evolve into smart, interconnected ecosystems, IT leaders must build future-ready infrastructure that enables Internet of Things (IoT) and operational technology (OT) while ensuring long-term sustainability and scalability. How can airports design and implement intelligent, high-capacity networks that support emerging technologies, enhance operational efficiency, and improve the passenger experience — all while reducing environmental impact? It’s a question you might be asking yourself right now about your own airport. There’s a lot to learn from what’s happening in the New York metropolitan region, where more than 145 million travelers went through John F. Kennedy International (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA), Newark…