Dona Sarkar

Dona Sarkar
Born (1980-08-29) 29 August 1980 (age 44)
Kathmandu, Nepal[1]
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of Michigan
OccupationDirector of Technology for Microsoft Accessibility
Websitedonasarkar.com Edit this at Wikidata

Dona Sarkar is a software engineer, author, public speaker and the owner of a fashion business.[2]

She is the director of technology for Microsoft Accessibility.[3] Previously, she led an advocacy team for the Power Platform,[4] a low-code/no-code development platform at Microsoft. She was the head of the Windows Insider software testing group at Microsoft from 2016 to 2019.[5]

Sarkar attended University of Michigan, where she studied computer science.[6][7][8]

In June 2016, Sarkar replaced Gabe Aul as the head of the Windows Insider public testing group.[9] One of her projects was increasing the engagement with customers in emerging markets such as East and West Africa. She and her team created an entrepreneurship bootcamp for startup founders in Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda to better understand the tech needs for those starting and growing businesses.[10] She co-authored a book, Model 47: A Startup Storybook, based on her experiences on this project.

She is a public speaker on topics around mental health in the workplace, computer accessibility, getting out of one's comfort zone and overcoming imposter syndrome. She has appeared on stages at the United Nations, World Economic Forum and TEDx.

In 2009, Sarker set up an ethical fashion line called Prima Dona, based in Seattle, Washington.

  1. ^ Ho, Vanessa (1 June 2016). "Dona Sarkar". Story Labs. Microsoft.
  2. ^ "She's an engineer, entrepreneur, fashionista and "Ninja Cat"". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
  3. ^ Kniskern, Knip (1 June 2021). "Dona Sarkar gets a new role leading Accessibility tech for Microsoft". Windows Report. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Microsoft's Windows Insider chief Sarkar is moving to a new developer-relations role". ZDNET.com. Archived from the original on 2020-03-03.
  5. ^ Eran Megiddo, "Windows Insider leadership update", Microsoft Windows Blogs, October 7, 2019
  6. ^ New Student Record, University of Michigan. UM Libraries. 1998. p. 72.
  7. ^ Gupta, Ankit (3 June 2016). "Microsoft features Dona Sarkar, the new leader of Windows Insider Program". The Windows Club. TWCN Tech News. Archived from the original on 2016-06-08.
  8. ^ "Dona Sarkar: Testing Software and Advocating Customers". 12 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2009-03-18.
  9. ^ Preece, Caroline (2 June 2016). "Microsoft makes Dona Sarkar head of Windows 10 Insider Program". IT Pro. Dennis Publishing. Archived from the original on 2016-06-03.
  10. ^ "She's an engineer, entrepreneur, fashionista and "Ninja Cat"". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2019-11-29.