MEET OUR SPEAKERS

VP @ Microsoft

Tara is the Vice President at Microsoft within Surface, Adjunct Professor at Stanford, fmr-Merck, fmr-AI startup, Global Business Growth, Keynote Speaker. On the Professional Development Day, she will share invaluable insights on AI, cloud computing, and digital transformation. Her expertise is set to reshape the future of project management and professional development.

Vice President @ Intuitive | Medical Devices Expert

Neeta is an accomplished medical industry leader with over twenty five years of global experience in diverse organizations from startups to large corporations. She joined Intuitive Surgical in Feb 2015 to create the Program Management Office. (Product Operations & Digital PMO). Most recently she took up the responsibility to manage the Strategy & Operations for China at Intuitive. Neeta was with Siemens for over 12 years & had various leadership roles, from Business Head South Asia Cluster based out of India to Chief Information Officer within the Siemens Ultrasound Leadership Team based out of California. She was responsible for Product Management, Portfolio & Strategy for Siemens Ultrasound worldwide and started a PMO over there as well. She has worked in start up companies like Medix Biotech, geneticXchange & Yodlee, as well as being part of large companies such as Hewlett Packard and Genzyme, which later got acquired by Sanofi Aventis. Neeta has an MBA from Santa Clara University and a BS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Bombay, India. ---- Optional --- Neeta enjoys volunteering for various organizations. She has done a few marathons for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Neeta used to be the the Exec Sponsor for the Intuitive Pan Asian Community at Intuitive and now she is the Exec Sponsor for the Women’s Intuitive Network.

Staff Product Manager @ Walmart eCommerce | AI/ML | Carnegie Mellon University

Nitul is a seasoned product manager with five years of experience at Sam's Club, specializing in leveraging cutting-edge technologies like machine learning and computer vision to tackle inventory management challenges. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, he combines a strong technical background with sharp business acumen. As a thought leader in product management practices and retail innovation, Nitul is passionate about driving transformative solutions in the industry. In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing chess, as well as engaging in strategy board games.

Director @ Okta

Denise Carney, PMP is an accomplished Technical Program Manager, people leader, and strategic partner, with a proven background in driving technology projects and leading teams. Her super skill is focusing on rapid delivery and fostering collaboration. Passionate about career growth & development, Denise brings valuable insights on navigating challenges and charting your own path.

Co-Founder & Managing Partner @ GrowthArc

Rijun Chokshi is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of GrowthArc, a company focused on simplifying business growth by integrating intelligent platforms, interconnected data, and advanced AI. With over 18 years of experience in sales leadership and digital transformation, Rijun has consistently delivered multi-million-dollar client engagements.

Prior to GrowthArc, he played pivotal roles at companies like Genpact, HCl, TCS and Enquero, leading sales teams and spearheading growth strategies. His journey includes scaling business units, driving global go-to-market strategies, and leveraging AI to unlock new growth opportunities. Rijun’s career began at Tata Consultancy Services before progressing through leadership roles at HCL Technologies, where he managed sales operations and complex client portfolios across regions. His first start up journey culminated in Enquero’s acquisition by Genpact, showcasing his ability to create sustainable value through innovative solutions which lead him to start his own entrepreneurship journey with GrowthArc.

Today, Rijun combines his entrepreneurial passion with deep expertise in AI and business processes, empowering companies to thrive in the digital age.

Digital Program Management Leader at Genpact & VP of the PMI-SFBAC Mentorship Program

Mahesh Deshpande is a data-driven business transformation leader with over 12 years of experience in leading cross-functional digital transformation initiatives across geographies to drive innovation and change. He specializes in Data & Analytics Product Program Management and is known for his passion for data storytelling and design thinking.

Mahesh is also the Vice President of the Project Management Institute (PMI) San Francisco Bay Area Chapter's Mentorship Program, where he has led the transformation of the program into a self-sustaining platform that supports any project professional seeking mentorship. He has introduced innovative ideas and fostered a strong mentor community, helping the program grow to support 200 participants annually.

Mahesh is the host of the Mentorship Masterminds podcast, where he interviews industry leaders about leadership, networking, and professional development. He is passionate about inspiring the next generation of leaders to achieve their full potential.

During his free time, Mahesh likes to travel, hike and bike. He has traveled to 12 countries, hiked in 25 National Parks, and biked 100 miles in a day.

PRAGATI KALE Executive Coach | Product-Program Management | Business Strategy

Pragati Kale is an Executive Coach with a global career in the Telecom/Cloud domain across leading technology firms like AT&T, Microsoft, and Akamai. Her role has evolved with immense cross-functional program/product management, corporate communication, storytelling, and stakeholder management. She conducts mentorship programs for leadership forums in corporate setups focusing on culture transformation, career development and team building. She has been a part of the steering committee that conducts coaching workshops for Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) designed for women, minority genders, and beginner-level employees. She represented Microsoft in the Diversity and Inclusion space at the Grace Hopper conference, educating larger teams on key learnings across wellness, tech, education, community building, networking, and career development.

She completed her Master’s in Computer Science from SUNY Binghamton. She is a two-time Toastmasters District Finalist for the International Speech Contest. Pragati is a certified Executive Coach and Faculty at Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute. She believes every human is a journey in themselves and that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. She brings in a unique coaching style with her high emotional quotient that helps develop strong relations with people from diverse backgrounds, fostering a stronger community. Pragati lives with her husband and two sons in Bay Area, California. She carries her share of the world with every travel tale gathered with her family.

Senior Program Manager - Technology @ Sephora 

I'm all about integrity, honesty, and building trust with everyone we work with – peers, partners, and leaders alike. These values are my compass, helping me make decisions and fostering a positive and productive work environment. At Sephora, I'm currently working as a Senior Program Manager Tech PMO, and with over a decade of experience in Project Management, Agile Coaching, Digital Marketing, Channel Management, and Process Improvement, I've learned a lot. I've developed skills in Thought Leadership, Team Building, Process Efficiency, and Creativity. These experiences have underscored the importance of being open and kind. By sticking to these values, we can create stronger, more collaborative teams and achieve amazing results.

Founder and Owner of CME Beyond Career Success, LLC

Cynthia Maria Estalilla is the founder and owner of CME Beyond Career Success, LLC with more than 30 years’ experience working in small, mid to global, brand-name organizations to include financial services, apparel, hospitality, and technology and talent consulting with roles in human resources, client service management and career services

Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. She is a Certified Professional Career Coach, Digital Branding Strategist, Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)®, and a Certified DISCstyles™ Communications Consultant. Cynthia has earned the distinction of being recognized as a global Career Industry Authority by Career Thought Leaders/Resume Writing Academy. A career service provider and entrepreneur, Cynthia has a relentless focus on delivering life-changing client experiences to mid-career professionals providing coaching for clarity and career transition, consulting on creating personally-branded career marketing materials and designing career search strategies. Cynthia is a member of the Project Management Institute San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, a Career Coach partner to the community, conducting résumé writing, LinkedIn, and interview clinics through the chapter’s mentorship program, career building track.

On a personal note, she loves cooking, watching sports, reading, boating, and traveling with her significant other and is a proud mother of her only son.

Project Manager @ Genpact

A seasoned Project Manager with a Master of Science in Project Management from Golden Gate University and 7+ years of experience in the industry. Skilled in establishing project plans, schedules, and deadlines, and overseeing projects from end to end, including data-driven marketing programs and campaigns.

Well-versed in Agile methodologies, SCRUM, Asana, Monday.com, MySQL, JIRA, Adobe Design Softwares, Canva, Wix, and WordPress. Thrives in a fast-paced environment, effectively manoeuvring between big-picture thinking and detail-oriented tasks. Possesses strong critical thinking, multitasking, problem-solving, targeted communication, and cross-functional team collaboration skills with a successful entrepreneurial track record of growing a business from 0 to 30 clients.

Head of Product & UX @SEPHORA / LVMH

Sneha Narahalli is a technology leader who is driving the transformation of the industry through innovative and simple product development. Her upbringing in India was in a family of writers, with both her parents being notable literary figures, and she has always utilized her creativity to achieve targeted outcomes. After moving to the United States to pursue her master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University a decade ago, she has been leading the development of next-generation strategies for companies such as Sears, Walmart, and Sephora. She is currently responsible for overseeing all aspects of product development & user experience, including digital, physical stores, data, partnerships, ML, GenAI and marketing technology at Sephora. She also leads the technology investment and prioritization for the company. Despite being an introvert and having to adapt to a new culture, Sneha has managed to stay true to her authentic self while also increasing her efficiency and output by learning and unlearning. She strongly believes that the first step in effecting change is to raise awareness of the basic biases that women face in any environment, and she is committed to working together to overcome these biases and ultimately eradicate them. Sneha recognizes the power of the written word and intends to utilize it to create a positive impact.