Join us for February’s Founder Friday with Sarah J. Ritter, Managing Partner at Darkridge Digital and founder of AI startup Tribute. In this session, Sarah will explore what it means to lead at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human behavior, drawing from her journey across Microsoft, early-stage ventures, and her work in responsible innovation. 

Students will gain insights into: 

• How AI can supercharge human potential rather than replace it 

• What founders and leaders should consider when navigating uncertainty 

• How teams can build products and cultures rooted in curiosity, systems thinking, and innovation 

If you’re interested in entrepreneurship, product management, or the future of AI in everyday work, this Founder Friday is for you. 

About Sarah

I've always been fascinated by how people and systems work—which is why I studied anthropology before building enterprise software for twenty years. That combination has shaped how I lead: with deep curiosity about human behavior and a systems thinker's approach to solving complex problems. My career has been defined by navigating transformation. At Microsoft, I orchestrated Windows 7, 8, and 10 launches during the shift from on-prem to cloud. As founder of AI startup Tribute, I learned what it takes to build from zero—raising $3.5M and reaching $1M ARR. Now at Workato, I'm helping reposition the company from iPaaS to Enterprise AI infrastructure. I'm an early AI adopter and serial tinkerer—I use Claude daily and experiment openly with both wins and failures. I believe the best leaders’ model responsible innovation while keeping humans at the center of every technology transformation.

About Founder Friday

Founder Friday is a quarterly event hosted by Seattle University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (IEC). Each session features an SU alum founder who shares their entrepreneurial journey with students, alumni, faculty, and the community. Events are free, open to the public, and include light refreshments.