Heather Flanagan is the Principal at Spherical Cow Consulting, where she helps organizations navigate the complex world of digital identity and Internet standards. With over 15 years of experience translating technical concepts into clear, actionable strategies, she is known for bridging communities and guiding collaborative efforts that move work from idea to implementation. Heather currently co-chairs the W3C Federated Identity and Exploration Interest Groups, the IETF SPICE working group, and HotRFC. She also serves as Executive Director and Principal Editor for IDPro, the professional organization for digital identity practitioners. Her previous roles include leadership positions with the OpenID Foundation, the IETF/IRTF, and REFEDS. Named to the 2025 Okta Identity 25 as one of the top thought leaders in digital identity, Heather is a frequent speaker and writer focused on standards, governance, and the real-world friction of identity implementation. If identity’s future is being shaped, she’s likely in the room.