Speaker Bio
Mariam Sorond has led transformational change across mobile, wireless, fixed, and satellite networks for more than 27 years. She has held leadership positions within start-ups and Fortune 500 enterprises, responsible for developing the technology vision, deploying networks, analyzing trends, guiding business investments, and participating in regulatory and standardization processes. She joined VMware in 2022 as their CTO of the Service Provider and Edge BU to help define and evangelize the technical strategy internally and externally as well as lead engagements with service provider partners to influence and promote vision, product and solution alignment and adoption towards the digital transformation.
Prior to that, as Chief Research and Development Officer at CableLabs, Mariam focused on technical thought leadership, vision, and strategy for the future of converged connectivity of broadband cable and mobile networks within the cable industry. Under her leadership, two committees were created to focus on bringing the industry together on the convergence of DOCSIS, 5G/6G, Wi-Fi, PON technologies, leading to the creation of use cases, architectures, frameworks, and specifications. Prior to the cable industry, Mariam served as Chief Wireless Architect of DISH Networks and worked directly with Co-Founder & Chairman Charlie Ergen as the wireless expert for the company’s entry into the wireless market. Mariam’s firsts also include creating the first standalone 5G Open RAN network vision and architecture on a cloud-native platform and releasing an RFP which is being currently deployed by DISH network.
Earlier in her career, Mariam worked for vendors such as Lucent Technologies (now Nokia), and several operators including ICO, Nextel, and PrimeCo, where she began as an RF Engineer. Mariam is recognized for her uncompromised ethical standards and unwavering level of energy and determination and ability to hire, develop and empower individuals and teams who consistently exceed expectations.
Mariam has served as a member of the NTIA’s Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee since 2014 and joined as a member of the FCC’s Technical Advisory Committee in 2022. Mariam is a member of the board of governors at 5G Americas, and a member of the board of advisors of Saankhya Labs and COMSovereign. Mariam was nominated as one of the fiercest women in telecom by FierceWireless in 2021. She has been awarded several patents, with others pending and is an author and frequent speaker and panelist at industry forums.