Sonita Lontoh on Starting at PG&E, Embracing the Unconventional Path, and Building a Global Career at HP and Siemens and Now Leading AI Governance and Innovation as a Public Company Board Director

How do you transition from a childhood in Jakarta to a seat on the boards of top public tech companies in the United States?In this episode of No Boxes, Just Verses, I sit down with Sonita Lontoh. We discuss her early culture shock at UC Berkeley, her courage to defy expectations in business school, and her proven strategy to secure public board seats.ABOUT SONITA:Sonita Lontoh is an accomplished public company board director with expertise in AI, technology innovation, and customer trust. She currently serves on the boards of Sunrun (Nasdaq: RUN), the largest consumer energy company in the US, TrueBlue (NYSE: TBI), a global workforce solutions company, partner at Alpha, an AI governance company, and an advisor to Sway Ventures, a Silicon Valley VC firm. Prior, over her 25-year diverse global career as a senior executive at both new innovative businesses within large global Fortune 100 companies such as HP, Siemens, PG&E and at entrepreneurial, VC-backed Silicon Valley technology companies, she had led programs that have delivered positive impact to businesses, consumers, and society. She is a purpose-driven leader passionate in advancing technology for humanity. She has been recognized by the White House, the US State Department, the Financial Times, the San Francisco Business Times, and inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame and the Women in Manufacturing Hall of Fame. Sonita earned her master’s in engineering from MIT, her MBA from Northwestern Kellogg, and her B.S. in engineering from UC Berkeley.Key Takeaways:The Global Perspective: Sonita grew up in Jakarta, Indonesia, as a triple minority. This early reality forced her to interact with diverse groups and helped her develop a robust global perspective.The Courage to Defy the Herd: At Northwestern Kellogg, she noticed most students blindly pursued careers in finance or corporate strategy. She chose to enter the energy sector at PG&E because she wanted to work at the intersection of technology and societal impact.The Power of Mentors: Throughout her corporate ascent, Sonita consistently found leaders who believed in her potential and offered her massive opportunities. Today, she dedicates her time to elevate the next generation of leaders.The Out-of-the-Box Brand: Sonita built a distinct reputation because she consistently accepted assignments that others viewed as undesirable or risky. This unique brand caused top executives to recruit her when they needed to build new business models.The Portfolio Life: In her current career phase as a public company board director, she advises professionals to focus on organic connections rather than transactional requests. She also emphasizes the absolute necessity to select boards with healthy cultures and aligned values.Thank you for listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please follow, rate, and review the podcast! CONNECT WITH SONITA LONTOH:WebsiteLinkedInPlaylistCONNECT WITH SHANNON:FacebookInstagramLinkedIn Shannon | LinkedIn NBJVTheme Song: No Boxes Just Verses by Thane Kreiner (Suno)