Chia-Lin Simmons
“Real progress happens when we listen to women’s lived experiences and respond with both innovation and action, building solutions that reflect actual needs, not assumptions.”
As CEO of LogicMark, Chia-Lin is redefining safety tech through empathy and innovation. With a focus on advancing preventative and predictive care, she has transformed a traditional hardware company into a leader in AI-powered health tech. Under her leadership, LogicMark has created thoughtful, discreet products that have expanded access to safety for women, seniors, and caregivers. After decades in a male-dominated industry, Chia-Lin’s greatest strength remains her vulnerability, which fuels her vision for human-centered technology that serves to protect and empower. This is her story.
K: Introduce yourself! How would you describe yourself and what you do?
CL: I'm Chia-Lin Simmons, CEO of LogicMark, where I've been leading our transformation since June 2021. When I joined, LogicMark was a traditional hardware company. Today, we're a connected, AI-enabled health technology platform delivering predictive and preventative care through medical alert systems, safety technology, and emergency response solutions that help people live independently and with confidence.
Throughout my career, over 25 years in technology leadership, I've been passionate about leveraging artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to solve real problems. I hold patents in AI/predictive search, and I've always been drawn to innovations that measurably improve people's lives.
Before LogicMark, I co-founded and led LookyLoo, a patented AI social commerce company that used computer vision and machine learning to help people find clothing that fit both their style and body type while significantly reducing the waste created by e-commerce returns. Earlier, I held leadership positions at Google, Samsung/Harman, Playphone, Time Warner/AOL, and Audible/Amazon, always focused on technology that makes a difference.
Beyond my operating role, I serve on the boards of Channel Therapeutics/Pelthos Therapeutics Inc., Servco Pacific, and New Energy Nexus. I'm also an active angel investor supporting early-stage companies working on transformative technologies, and do some LP investment work into VC funds on behalf of corporations and family offices.
K: What inspired you to pursue a career in emergency response and safety tech? Was there a defining moment that pulled you toward this field?
CL: What draws me to personal emergency response technology is both deeply personal and fundamentally strategic. Like many people, I'm drawn to solving problems I've experienced firsthand. My mother-in-law's experiences with medical alert products, and our family's own caregiving journey, showed me the gap between what technology promises and what it actually delivers. That personal frustration became a professional purpose.
When I joined LogicMark, I saw an industry stuck in the past, but also an opportunity to reimagine what safety technology could be. We've transformed from a hardware company into an AI-powered platform that doesn't just react to emergencies, but is actively working toward helping prevent them. Products like our Freedom Alert Max with fall prevention and video communication, or our Aster App for women's safety, were born from listening deeply to what people actually need to feel secure in their daily lives.
The most meaningful measure of our success isn't our technology roadmap; it's the customer who calls to say our device saved their life, or the adult child who can finally sleep at night knowing their parent has support. That human impact is what drives every business decision I make. Innovation without empathy is just noise. Real progress happens when technology serves the human experience, allowing people to live not just safely, but fully, with the independence and dignity they deserve.
K: LogicMark’s mission is all about safety and connection. Can you share how your products are changing the way people protect themselves and their loved ones?
CL: We’re redefining what it means to feel safe and connected. Our technology empowers people to maintain their freedom while ensuring help is always within reach. Over the years, we’ve evolved from being purely a hardware company to becoming a true technology platform focused on both reactive and predictive safety solutions. Traditionally, personal emergency response systems were only initiated after incidents occurred. Today, our devices and software go a step further by analyzing user patterns and digital twin data to identify potential risks; for example, changes in movement or activity can signal a higher likelihood of a fall, so we can help prevent emergencies before they happen.
Our customers’ stories show the real impact of this innovation. From the elderly woman who was able to summon help immediately after a stroke, to the 93-year-old man whose device provides his family with daily peace of mind, our products have changed countless lives. These moments remind us why we do what we do: to keep people connected, protected, and confident in their ability to live life on their own terms.
Beyond tech focused on senior loved ones and caregivers, we’ve also expanded our products to improve safety for a wider range of ages. Aster was our first product that accomplished this goal, allowing anyone with a smartphone to discreetly get help if they felt unsafe.
K: LogicMark’s recent Women & Safety Survey revealed some powerful insights. Which findings struck you the most, and what do you hope people take away from them?
CL: What stood out most was how constant safety concerns are for women: 67% of women who completed the survey identified walking home alone at night as their primary fear, and many say those worries limit their daily activities. The data also showed how these concerns vary by age and environment: younger women feel most vulnerable in rideshares or on public transportation. Even when out socially, some women still don’t feel fully at ease, which underscores how deeply personal and situational safety can be. When it comes to personal safety devices, discretion emerged as a key priority. 71% of women want devices that are either completely invisible or disguised as jewelry or accessories.
Despite these concerns, more than 21% of women don’t use any safety device, and those who do want discreet, seamless, and empowering solutions. These insights remind us why our mission matters: to create technology that fits naturally into everyday life, giving people peace of mind without compromising their independence. By listening to women’s actual experiences, we can continue designing solutions that make safety both accessible and intuitive.
K: What do we need to do as a society to help people, especially women, feel more secure both in public and private spaces?
CL: Creating meaningful safety, particularly for women, requires a coordinated approach across technology, community, and cultural norms. It begins with the acknowledgment that safety concerns fundamentally shape how people move through the world. Once we recognize this reality, we can design environments, products, and systems that make protection both accessible and intuitive, through intelligent technology, thoughtful infrastructure, and stronger community networks.
But technology alone isn't the solution. Education and empathy are equally critical. When we teach situational awareness and create space for honest conversations about personal safety, we empower people and break down isolation. Real progress happens when we listen to women's lived experiences and respond with both innovation and action, building solutions that reflect actual needs, not assumptions.
At LogicMark, this philosophy drives products like our Aster App and our SOS Button. But beyond any single product, it's about recognizing that safety is a right, not a privilege. When we combine human-centric design with technological capability and genuine empathy, we don't just create safer communities, we create environments where everyone can live with confidence and freedom.
K: October was Domestic Violence Awareness Month. From your perspective, how well are we addressing this issue as a society, and where do you still see gaps in awareness, support, or action?
CL: I've been supporting domestic violence awareness since my college days as an Alpha Chi Omega sister, volunteering at women's shelters and raising funds with my sorority sisters. I've watched this issue evolve over decades and, while awareness has undeniably grown, we're still failing to translate that awareness into consistent, accessible support.
Here's the gap: domestic violence becomes visible in October and during moments of crisis, then fades from public consciousness. What survivors need isn't seasonal attention, it's sustained infrastructure. Resources, education, and technology must be available year-round, and people need to know where to turn before they reach a breaking point. That requires systemic commitment, not symbolic gestures.
We also need to fundamentally broaden how we define safety. The traditional model is reactive; we intervene after harm occurs. But technology enables us to shift toward prevention and empowerment. Discreet access to help, silent alerts to trusted contacts, tools that provide security without drawing attention – these innovations can be lifelines for people in dangerous situations.
K: How have your personal and professional journeys influenced the person and leader you are today?
CL: My career has been defined by a singular focus: building technology that creates measurable impact in people's lives. I started as a communications major, discovered the early internet, launching Audible's first experiences on smartphones, and bringing connected content to car companies like Honda and Subaru. These experiences taught me to identify emerging technologies with genuine utility rather than chase hype cycles. Over 25 years across Google, Samsung/Harman, Time Warner/AOL, and as co-founder and CEO of LookyLoo, I've consistently pursued innovation at the intersection of technology and human need.
The barriers I've encountered as a woman in tech – limited access to capital, bias embedded in AI development, sparse representation in leadership – didn't slow me down. These challenges helped sharpen my strategic thinking. I learned to fund ventures creatively (I sold gold jewelry left by family to fund my startup), build diverse teams that reflect the customers we serve, and hold patents in AI/predictive search. Each obstacle became a competitive advantage.
Still, the most profound influence on my leadership came from personal experiences. My family's caregiving journey, particularly my mother-in-law's frustration with inadequate medical alert technology, revealed a massive market gap that established players were ignoring. That insight brought me to LogicMark in June 2021, where I led our transformation from a stagnant hardware company into an AI-powered, predictive health platform.
My father, a retired police officer, taught me that pressure demands clarity, not panic. That discipline has defined my approach to turnarounds and crisis leadership. Effective leadership isn't about commanding the loudest voice; it's about listening strategically, empowering teams, and building solutions grounded in real human needs. Empathy isn't soft; it's the foundation of sustainable business strategy. When you solve problems you've lived through, you build products people actually need. That's how to build lasting value.
K: Tech can be an intimidating space — especially for women breaking in. What advice would you share with women who want to carve out a place for themselves in this industry?
CL: Tech can feel intimidating; I know that. But here's what I learned from over 25 years building companies and leading teams at Google, Samsung, Audible, and as CEO of both a venture-backed startup and a public company: your outsider perspective isn't a weakness. It's a strategic advantage.
My advice is practical. First, focus on where technology meets genuine human need. I started as a communications major, not a computer science grad, but I understood people and problems, and that's what ultimately matters. You don't need to be the most technical person in the room; you need to be the person who can identify which problems are worth solving, and then build the right team to solve them.
Second, don't wait for permission. I've funded ventures creatively when capital wasn't accessible, filed patents in AI/predictive search to establish credibility, and built teams that reflect diverse user bases…because homogeneous thinking creates blind spots. Every barrier I encountered as a woman in tech became a lesson in resourcefulness that made me stronger in operations.
Third, recognize that empathy is a business skill, not a soft skill. My family's caregiving experience revealed a massive market inefficiency in safety technology, one that led to LogicMark's transformation into an AI-powered health platform. Women often see problems that male-dominated product teams miss entirely. That insight isn't just valuable; it's monetizable.
Finally, build strategic relationships. Mentors matter, but so do peers who will challenge your thinking. As you advance, lift others up, not out of obligation, but because diverse leadership teams make better decisions and build better products.
The industry needs you. Show up with confidence, lead with conviction, and remember that the more we demonstrate what effective leadership looks like, the faster we change what's considered normal.
K: And finally, on a personal note — what does being a woman mean to you?
CL: For me, being a woman means being unafraid of vulnerability and recognizing that vulnerability is where real power begins.
It means understanding that strength doesn't come from armor, but from the willingness to be open, to acknowledge what's broken, and to channel that honesty into creating something better. I've faced barriers throughout my tech career – limited access to capital, rooms where I was the only woman at the table, bias embedded in the very AI systems I was building. But those experiences didn't diminish me; they became my fuel. Vulnerability was transformed into vision.
Being a woman also means, for me, feeling an inherent power to create…not just products or companies, but life itself. Change itself is a creative force that is fundamental to how I lead. My family's caregiving journey revealed what was missing in safety technology; rather than accept those gaps, I built solutions. That's what being a woman means to me: seeing what doesn't exist and bringing it into the world, whether that's transforming LogicMark into a predictive health platform or creating the Aster App because women's safety concerns deserve serious innovation.
On a deeper level, being a woman means carrying the stories of other women along through my professional life. I've been supporting domestic violence survivors since my college days, and that work has shaped how I lead. It means recognizing that empathy isn't soft, it's strategic intelligence. It means building diverse teams, not because it's the right talking point, but because homogeneous thinking can be limiting.
Being a woman means I lead differently, with vulnerability as my foundation and creation as my purpose. I fundamentally believe this combination doesn't just change companies. It changes lives. And I wouldn't have it any other way.