Sharmila Williams is a businesswoman turned education advocate. Sharmila spent the early part of her career in sales and business development in the telecommunications and networking industry working for AT&T and Lucent Technologies. The proud mother of two young adults, Sharmila became active in school and district-level committees to advocate for underrepresented learners and their families, speaking up for inequities in education. She transitioned out of the tech industry, finding purpose in education advocacy. As a Regional Director at Equal Opportunity Schools, she supported districts across the county in establishing equitable practices for their Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. Currently, Sharmila serves as Director of Marketing at Ripple Effects where she finds joy in ensuring that the nation’s youth have access to digital skill-building programs that promote positive mental health for success in school and life.
