Denise Ruffner is the Chief Business Officer at Atom Computing, a growing start-up company building quantum computers out of optically trapped neutral atoms.

As Chief Business Officer, Denise is responsible for the company’s strategic customer and partner ecosystem and business development engagements. Denise serves as the President of Women In Quantum, a rapidly growing organization dedicated to highlighting and creating a community for women in the quantum field.

Denise previously led business development at IonQ where she was responsible for all customer development and corporate sales strategy worldwide. Prior to that, she was the Chief Business Officer at Cambridge Quantum Computing. Recognized for innovation, sales leadership, and strategic planning, Denise held a variety of leadership roles at IBM, including being part of the IBM Systems Quantum computing team where she developed and headed the IBM Q Startup Program and led the worldwide IBM Quantum Ambassador team.

Denise has a Master’s in Neurobiology and Molecular Biology from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from UC Irvine.