I was born and brought up in Southern India in a middle-class family with two younger siblings. We have many teachers between my mom, grandparents, uncles and aunts. Naturally, education of all types- school, taking part in debates, elocution, essay writing, quiz competitions/ challenges, community volunteering and tutoring- was of high emphasis. Right after my masters, I got an exciting one-year assignment to establish a teaching lab in a college for undergraduate courses in biochemistry of human body and teach the courses as well. That was my first official paid role both being a professor and entrepreneur at the same time. During doctoral studies, as part of exchange research program I gained international experience working in University of Freiburg, Germany, and then returned the next year to Strasbourg, France as post-doctoral scientist.
Growing up my core values have been caring and respect for family, friends and community, and an ethic of hard work and time management. I believe in always asking questions and seeking opportunities– it is a trait that defines me. If you do not ask, the answer is always “no”. This trait continues to nurture me to be able to take “no” for an answer as the situation requires. However, in my experience, I have gained much more than the occasional negation. For my international conference travels during my doctoral studies, the grade school and the college that I attended sponsored me, only because I asked. They had never sponsored anyone before since no one had asked. This ability to ask questions and seek opportunities is one of my key success factors in my 20 years of success in corporate America too.
I love to work with people, and I extend my trust in interactions with them. If you respect people for what they bring to the table, you can create miraculous solutions together. I have always been a champion of celebrating people, amplifying and recognizing their talents. This forms the foundation for my leadership style- meet people where they are, for who they are. This is especially important as we work with people from across the globe. In teams where people have to code switch and cover all the time just to survive, thriving is not even an option. Human potential has no boundaries, and empowering people to bring their full selves to every situation is the world’s next big challenge to solve. My passion is to unleash and maximize the potential that others and I have.
My purpose in life has 2 parts: Empowerment of women and education of kids. My mother is a retired science teacher and high-school principal, and she has empowered lot of women during her career. My grandmother empowered herself by becoming a (Hindi) language expert and teaching many, enabling them to have successful careers. I continue that journey. In corporate America, women of color and minorities can use sponsoring, advising, and mentoring to move from surviving to thriving and flourishing. I also believe that no child should be deprived of an education due to hunger, poverty, or other circumstances. I contribute to the fulfillment of this purpose by serving as a mentor with the New York Academy of Sciences, and as a donor to an organization devoted to overcoming huger as a barrier to education.
My wonderful team at home- my researcher and professor husband, and my 10th grader son.