Marva Bailer

Business adviser, Business leader, Change Agent, Connector, Idea generator, Marketer, Student, Technologist, Writer/Editor

Atlanta is home, a connected city where innovation thrives and community fuels impact. That spirit shapes my work at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, and business transformation, helping leaders bridge technology and culture to drive growth and resilience. Featured on Fox News, NBC, NewsNation, and TMZ, I’m a communicator and business leader who brings clarity, energy, and real-world experience to every room. Today I serve as CEO of Qualaix and as a trusted advisor to startups and private companies. Earlier in my career, I was an executive at IBM, AWS, Splunk, and Twilio, where I led billion-dollar businesses. Now I focus on bringing that scale and strategy into the boardroom, advising founders, investors, and executives on innovation, governance, and growth. A 3x TEDx speaker and the author of Be Unexpected (an NIEA Top Career Book), I’ve been recognized as a Success Magazine Woman of Influence, Scarlett Abbott World Change Leader, and Take the Lead Women Top Activator. Private Board Governance certified through PDA, NACD Member, Athena Alliance and OnBoard Advocate Member. Board Director Women in Technology, TED NEXT 2025 Community Partner. Originally from Maryland, I relocated with my family to Lake Lanier. My children attended UGA and Emory, and both are now married and living in Atlanta—a full-circle moment that reflects my belief in the city’s power of community and connection. Today I divide my time between Atlanta and Charleston with my husband and our dog Ruby, while pursuing my doctorate at Georgia State University.

From impact at scale to the shoes that carry us forward, my curiosity stretches wide: Impact at scale Digital literacy Lifetime learning Partnerships Shoes with Stories Love as Leadership

I’ve had the honor of delivering three TEDx talks, each focused on a different lens of leadership, technology, and connection: How AI Can Create a More Accessible Workplace and Society — showing how technology, designed with empathy, can expand opportunity and inclusion. Swiffer Your AI — exploring why true innovation comes from observation and simplifying complexity to solve real human needs. What’s Your Walk-Up Song? Prompting Human Connection in an AI World — reimagining introductions as “human prompts” that spark trust, energy, and collaboration.

AI, Career, Cybersecurity, Leadership, Revenue Growth, SaaS

My TED journey began in seat 22A on a Delta flight, watching Amy Cuddy’s Power Pose. That single talk reshaped how I show up, and I still use it, and share it often. Over the years, I’ve woven TED and TEDx into leadership development and performance training for global companies. These talks are practical sparks that fuel how teams learn, connect, and perform. Eventually, I moved from the audience to the stage, giving three TEDx talks — in Chicago on Eclipse Day, in Edmonton, Canada (followed by a family tour on the Icefields Parkway to Banff), and in Raleigh, where we capped it off with a visit to Blowing Rock in the mountains. Three talks later, I’m part of a community of thinkers and doers who stretch ideas into impact. The best part? Along the way I’ve made friends, partnerships, and learned about myself and others passion and purpose. TED is about people, connection, and the joy of sharing an idea worth spreading.

Navigating a boat in the dark