Sophie Stewart built Department for Education’s Automation Centre from the ground up in 2018, growing from a team of one developer to a large, successful team today delivering solutions across the department. Sophie is responsible for automation and AI strategy and delivery, and specialises in robotics and chatbot technology. A Data Scientist and Statistician by professional affiliation, she has worked in the public sector in Sheffield since 2014 focusing on education funding, following time in the private sector as a market research analyst. She has a passion for cultivating homegrown talent and inspiring people to make a tangible and lasting difference in government and the education sector.