Celebrating women driving impact at Google Cloud

Aruna Rajan, Technical Director, Office of the CTO 

A seasoned AI and product leader, Aruna advises customers on how to apply emerging technologies to solve unique and complex business problems. She is also an investor, board member, and volunteer at Magasool, an agriculture enterprise for small farmers that hopes to make agriculture both scientific and sustainable.

“We must elevate and celebrate leaders that represent humanity at large: more women, non-binary individuals, people from all over the globe of different races and orientation, and different working and thinking styles. We need to reinvigorate scientific thinking by questioning entrenched beliefs and assumptions, and be unafraid to test new ways of doing things to learn better. Bring in new ideas and new people to build businesses that are more scientific, thoughtful, and most importantly, more human.”

Helen Kelisky, Managing Director of the UK and Ireland

Helen leads the UK and Ireland business, driving the development of its go-to-market sales operations across the region. She is an active member of the tech community, serving on the board of directors for Women in Telecoms and Technology (WiTT) and voted as one of the ‘Most Influential Women in UK Tech’ for the last five years by Computer Weekly.

“I've been fortunate to witness the progress of several leaders during my career who have inspired me through not just their success but also their compassion, and the followership these attributes create. Treat others the way you'd like to be treated, and remember that every day is a learning day, when you can absorb new facts, thoughts, and ideas. You're here to make a positive difference, so participate, don’t simply preside.”

Kelly Ducourty, VP, GTM Strategy and Operations 

Kelly leads Cloud’s go-to-market strategy and runs day-to-day operations that enable our hyper growth. Kelly has over 24 years of experience in the technology industry and has scaled businesses across four continents.

“I make networking a key part of my job and I can attribute a lot of my own success to the people I’ve met and made friends with along the way. Always approach situations with a collaboration-first mindset. Make sure to invest in relationships with your colleagues and customers. You’ll be thankful you did when you know someone at the company or the board you’re applying for! And of course, make sure to invest in your life outside of work—always find time for what matters most, whether that be your family, your friends, or your favorite hobby.”

Monique Picou, VP, Global Capacity Delivery & Global Server Operations

Monique Picou keeps Google’s products running, everything from optimizing day-to-day data center operations to scaling our support for Google Cloud’s growing enterprise customer base. Prior to Google, she helped large companies like Wal-Mart and Procter & Gamble build stronger supply chains. Monique is also a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion, focused on creating career pathways to diversify the tech industry.

“Never ever stop learning. When you come into a new organization, be a sponge for learning and stay agile in your thought processes. Stay up to date in your skill competency and your industry, because status quo is not your friend. A company hires you for what you can do and not for what someone else did not do. You must be able to compete in your chosen domain, as we work in dynamic environments.”

Orna Berry, Technical Director, Office of the CTO 

Dr Orna Berry, Ph.D., is a technical director in Google Cloud’s Office of the CTO where she advises customers on how to apply emerging technologies to solve unique and complex business problems. She has spent more than 30 years in science and technology industries, as an academic researcher, entrepreneur, policy maker, venture capitalist and an industry executive. She is the only woman to have served as the Chief Scientist of the ministry of the economy in the government of Israel, and prior to joining Google Cloud, she designed programs for Quantum Science and Technology and Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for the state of Israel national research infrastructure. 

“Despite our best efforts, we still have significant strides to make in reaching social equality. However, as women, we need to persist. Dream big, be open to opportunities and changes, and enjoy the ride. It’s important to remember: never never never give up. There are always ways to find the team to play with and win with. Devote time to your health and your interests, find the missions that you enjoy. Throughout, it’s critical that you appreciate and love yourself so you can be at ease with life’s demands and intensity. Find the organization that needs you and wants you this year and the years to come.”

Sabrina Farmer, Google VP of Engineering, Products and Core Infrastructure SRE

Sabrina Farmer is a key leader in ensuring the reliability and accessibility of Google’s Consumer and Enterprise products, like Search, Gmail and Youtube—she’s been part of Google’s engineering teams for more than 17 years. Sabrina is the founder of the “Scholarship for Women in Computer Science” at her alma mater, University of New Orleans.

“Be intentional about determining what’s most important to you, for both work and personal life. Things change, your role, your scope, your life. Learn to flex when needed, but be guided by what matters most to you, and set boundaries. I've learned to respect the boundaries I set, and make that part of the expectations of others. You don't have to sacrifice family for work, nor sacrifice your career for family.”

Sandra Guazzotti, Director, Latin America Multi-Country Region 

Sandra Guzzotti has spent more than 20 years helping public and private organizations digitally transform, and today, drives growth and customer transformation across Google Cloud’s Latin America markets. She is a champion for women in business, serving on many boards and as a member of Women Corporate Directors (WCD). She has been recognized as Executive of the Year 2019 by Entrepreneur Women and magazine Capital, and as one of the "100 Women Leaders in Chile" by Entrepreneur Women and the newspaper El Mercurio

"The world is constantly changing, presenting challenges but also unprecedented opportunities. Be open to new ideas, be curious, listen to others, be willing to learn and to have a voice. We need the next generation leaders to provide different perspectives and innovative approaches, with empathy and willingness to collaborate with others. And we need all the players on the court. I encourage all but, in particular, women, to pursue their dreams, to feel empowered and to be protagonists of the changes we want to see in the world."

Taru Dahiya, Director, SMB Sales, Asia Pacific

Taru leads the SMB sales organization across the Asia Pacific region, and has more than two decades of industry experience, including founding a startup. She is a strong advocate and an active ally, acting as exec sponsor to the LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group. Taru is also an investor and a dedicated weekend farmer, who is trying to learn and experiment with natural farming methods.

"‘Lead by example and not by authority’ is one of my top leadership mantras. It's critical to showing up as an authentic, empathetic and trusted leader. It is a leadership style, irrespective of gender, where your actions demonstrate the behavior that you want to see in your team. A few simple ways of practicing this are to lead from the front and not from the sidelines, be real and communicate transparently and most importantly, foster belonging and advocacy for inclusion. Remember, actions speak louder than words!”