Fra Idéhistorie til it-topledelse
Karen Skjerbæk Jørgensen havde ikke en klassisk vej ind i IT-branchen. Oprindeligt drømte hun om en karriere inden for film- og medievidenskab eller antropologi, men da karaktergennemsnittet ikke rakte, valgte hun i stedet en tværfaglig bachelor i Idéhistorie og Informationsvidenskab. Sidenhen tog hun en kandidatgrad i Informationsvidenskab fra Aarhus Universitet, og det blev startskuddet til en karriere, hvor teknologi og menneskelig adfærd er i centrum.
Teknologiens rolle i vores liv
Karen blev for alvor opmærksom på teknologiens betydning, da hun rejste i USA, Canada og Mellemamerika i 1998 uden e-mailadresse eller mobiltelefon. Kun tre år senere var situationen en anden: På en rejse til Sydamerika fandt hun sig selv på internetcaféer for at tjekke, at familien havde det godt derhjemme. Et behov hun ikke havde 3 år tidligere. Teknologien ændrede hendes adfærd, og hun blev fascineret af, hvordan digitale løsninger kunne påvirke vores måde at leve og interagere på.
IT som redskab til forandring
Selvom hun ikke havde en specifik rollemodel inden for IT, har Karen altid været drevet af dygtige mennesker, der skaber forandring. Gennem sin karriere har hun arbejdet i krydsfeltet mellem teknologi og mennesker med fokus på digitaliseringens muligheder. For Karen er teknologi ikke et mål i sig selv, men et middel til at skabe reel værdi.
Hendes fokus har altid været på, hvordan digitalisering kan forandre adfærd, effektivisere processer og forbedre brugeroplevelser. Samtidig har hun haft blik for faldgruberne ved teknologi og den forandringsledelse, der kræves for at sikre vellykket implementering.
Topleder i digital sundhed
I dag er Karen CCO i Trifork Digital Health, hvor hun arbejder strategisk med digitalisering og forretningsudvikling inden for sundhedssektoren. Hendes rolle spænder bredt fra at udvikle nye markeder og drive vækst til at sikre, at digitalisering bliver implementeret med fokus på outcome og værdiskabelse.
Hos Trifork handler digital sundhed ikke kun om teknologi, men om at forbedre livskvaliteten for patienter og optimere arbejdsgange for sundhedspersonale. Her spiller Karen en central rolle i at forbinde strategiske mål med konkrete løsninger, der gør en forskel i sundhedssektoren.
Respekt frem for barrierer
IT-branchen er traditionelt en mandsdomineret verden, men for Karen har det aldrig været en udfordring – tværtimod. Hun har altid følt sig respekteret på lige fod med sine mandlige kollegaer og anerkendt for sine kompetencer.
For Karen har det aldrig været nødvendigt at bevise sig mere end sine mandlige kollegaer. Hun oplever, at alle bliver respekteret for deres bidrag, uanset baggrund. Dog har hun altid haft en ydmyghed over sin manglende dybe tekniske viden – men det har aldrig været en barriere for at skabe resultater. Det vigtige er, at du omgiver dig med folk, der på nogle områder er dygtigere end dig selv og derfor kan komplementere dig.
Hun mener, at det er vigtigt at få flere kvinder til at interessere sig for tech, IT og STEM-uddannelserne. Det gælder om at tage sin plads og bidrage aktivt frem for at lade sig definere af gamle narrativer om branchen. Respekt og anerkendelse opnås gennem engagement og resultater.
Kvinder i IT bidrager ikke kun med diversitet, men også med nye perspektiver, der styrker både kultur, ledelse og udvikling. Flere kvinder i branchen betyder et bredere beslutningsgrundlag, bedre arbejdsmiljø og løsninger, der i højere grad afspejler samfundets behov. Det er afgørende at få alle perspektiver med – ikke kun for ligestillingens skyld, men fordi kompetencer og værdiskabelse trives bedst i en inkluderende kultur.
En kultur, der værdsætter diversitet
Hos Trifork oplever hun en arbejdsplads, hvor alle respekteres for deres bidrag. I en teknisk tung verden kan man nogle gange skulle forklare, hvad man laver, men i bund og grund handler det om at skabe værdi, og her er der plads til forskellige fagligheder. Som leder har hun et stærkt fokus på talentudvikling og på at skabe en kultur, hvor mennesker trives og vokser – uanset om de kommer fra en teknisk baggrund eller ej.
Passion for mennesker og teknologi
For Karen er det mest spændende ved IT-branchen de mennesker, hun arbejder med. Hun er begejstret for de dedikerede profiler og den nysgerrighed, der præger miljøet. Hendes passion ligger især inden for digital sundhed, men hun ser også store perspektiver i at overføre principperne for digital transformation til andre sektorer.
Karen Skjerbæk Jørgensen er et bevis på, at vejen til IT ikke behøver at være snorlige. Med en baggrund i humaniora og en stærk drivkraft for at skabe forandring har hun formået at positionere sig som en af de ledende kræfter i digital sundhed. Hendes historie viser, at IT-branchen har plads til mange forskellige profiler – og at det netop er denne diversitet, der driver innovationen fremad.
English:
From History of Ideas to IT Leadership
Karen Skjerbæk Jørgensen did not take a traditional path into the IT industry. Initially, she dreamed of a career in film and media studies or anthropology, but when her grades were not high enough, she instead pursued an interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree in History of Ideas and Information Science. She later obtained a master’s degree in Information Science from Aarhus University, which marked the beginning of a career centered around technology and human behavior.
The Role of Technology in Our Lives
Karen first became aware of the impact of technology when she traveled through the USA, Canada, and Central America in 1998 without an email address or mobile phone. Just three years later, on a trip to South America, she found herself visiting internet cafés to check in on her family back home—a need she hadn’t felt three years earlier. Technology had changed her behavior, and she became fascinated by how digital solutions influence the way we live and interact.
IT as a Tool for Change
Although she never had a specific role model in IT, Karen has always been driven by talented individuals who create change. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of technology and people, focusing on the potential of digitalization. For Karen, technology is not an end in itself but a means to create real value.
Her focus has always been on how digitalization can change behavior, optimize processes, and improve user experiences. At the same time, she has been mindful of the pitfalls of technology and the change management required to ensure successful implementation.
A Top Leader in Digital Health
Today, Karen is CCO at Trifork Digital Health, where she works strategically with digitalization and business development within the healthcare sector. Her role spans from developing new markets and driving growth to ensuring that digitalization is implemented with a focus on outcomes and value creation.
At Trifork, digital health is not just about technology—it’s about improving patients’ quality of life and optimizing workflows for healthcare professionals. Karen plays a key role in connecting strategic goals with concrete solutions that make a difference in the healthcare sector.
Respect Over Barriers
The IT industry is often perceived as a male-dominated field, but for Karen, this has never been a challenge—quite the opposite. She has always felt respected on equal footing with her male colleagues and recognized for her skills. The resistance she has encountered has not come from men but from other women who had opinions on how she balanced her career while being a mother of three.
Karen has never felt the need to prove herself more than her male colleagues. She experiences that everyone is respected for their contributions, regardless of background. However, she has always remained humble about her lack of deep technical expertise—but this has never been a barrier to achieving results. What truly matters is surrounding yourself with people who excel in areas where you don’t, creating a strong and complementary team.
She believes that it is crucial to get more women interested in tech, IT, and STEM education. It’s about taking your place and actively contributing rather than being defined by outdated narratives about the industry. Respect and recognition are earned through engagement and results.
Women in IT bring not only diversity but also new perspectives that strengthen culture, leadership, and development. More women in the industry mean broader decision-making, a better work environment, and solutions that better reflect societal needs. It is essential to include all perspectives—not just for the sake of equality but because competencies and value creation thrive best in an inclusive culture.
A Culture That Values Diversity
At Trifork, she experiences a workplace where everyone is respected for their contributions. In a highly technical world, one may sometimes have to explain what they do, but ultimately, it’s about creating value, and there is room for different skill sets. As a leader, she has a strong focus on talent development and on fostering a culture where people thrive and grow—regardless of whether they come from a technical background or not.
Passion for People and Technology
For Karen, the most exciting aspect of the IT industry is the people she works with. She is inspired by the dedicated professionals and the curiosity that characterizes the field. Her passion lies particularly in digital health, but she also sees great potential in applying digital transformation principles to other sectors.
Karen Skjerbæk Jørgensen is proof that the path into IT doesn’t have to be linear. With a background in the humanities and a strong drive to create change, she has positioned herself as one of the leading figures in digital health. Her story demonstrates that the IT industry has room for many different profiles—and that it is precisely this diversity that drives innovation forward.
