Sarita D. Rao runs global sales and operations for AT&T Wi-Fi and Data Patterns. In this role, she leads a large team to create Wi-Fi and data analytics solutions for business customers. Recently, she led the AT&T Wi-Fi Services team to victory at the Cellular Telephone Industries Association awards. Their product, AT&T Wi-Fi Small Site, took first place in the In-Building Wireless – Small Cell, Wi-Fi, LAN category of the “Emerging Technology (E-Tech)” awards.

When Sarita was named Technologist of the Year at the Women of Color STEM Conference in 2011, it was the first time an AT&T executive received this top honor. Her innovation and thought leadership have earned recognition throughout her career.

Over her 26-year career with AT&T and its predecessor companies, Sarita has gained hands-on experience in a variety of roles. She negotiated complex supplier contracts and ran large union-based work centers. She also has extensive sales leadership experience, and played a key role to facilitate the launch of the AT&T Wholesale Sales organization. Additionally, she led the National Wireless Segment and AT&T’s strategic IBM Go-to-Market relationship across the globe. Prior to her current role, she focused on building an effortless customer experience through a variety of net promoter initiatives across sales, product and operations. Sarita also holds community leadership in philanthropies that support the arts and children’s health and nutrition around the world. She sits on the Executive Board of Common Threads, a national organization educating kids about nutrition. She is also working with her family to establish free clinics in rural South India, which promote health and diabetes treatment.

Sarita is passionate about innovation and helping develop others through mentoring. She champions “big thinking” and professional development as a mentor and coach to emerging leaders. She is actively involved as an advisor to AT&T employee resource groups and participates in numerous leadership activities across the company.

Sarita earned a master of Business Administration from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and a bachelor of arts in Commerce from DePaul University. She also graduated from the Management Program for Executives from the University of Pennsylvania.