[6] Under President Barack Obama Burns led the White House national program on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from 2009 to 2016.

This internship was an integral component of Xerox's graduate engineering initiative designed to support underrepresented minorities.

[12] It not only provided her with valuable experience but also financially supported her pursuit of a master's degree at Columbia University,[7] which she completed in 1981.

[22] Burns began her journey with Xerox as a summer intern in 1980[7] and officially joined the company a year later, following the completion of her master's degree[23] from Columbia University.

[23] In May 2000, Burns was named senior vice president of corporate strategic services and began working closely with soon-to-be CEO Anne Mulcahy, in what both women have described as a true partnership.

Shortly after being named CEO, Burns led the acquisition of Affiliated Computer Services.

She retained the title of chairwoman of the newly formed document technology company[28] until May 2017, when she left the Xerox board and her role as chairperson.

In addition, Burns is on several private company boards, while also providing leadership counsel to several community, educational and non-profit organizations including the Ford Foundation,[37] the Metropolitan Museum of Art,[38] and the Mayo Clinic,[39] amongst others.

[46] In 2021, Burns partnered with Tagar Olson and Richard Kunzer to co-found private equity firm Integrum Holdings.

[8] In February 2022, Burns joined the U.S. Department of Commerce's Advisory Council on Supply Chain Competitiveness as Vice Chair.

[49] [50] Burns provides leadership counsel to community, educational, and non-profit organizations including FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), National Academy Foundation, MIT, and the U.S. Olympic Committee, among others.

[32][better source needed] She is a founding board director of Change the Equation, which focuses on improving the U.S.'s education system in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

[61] Burns was married to Lloyd Bean until his death in 2019; he also worked at Xerox, and they lived in Rochester, New York.