Who is Maria Martinez, and what was her journey from a girl raised by a single mom in Puerto Rico, to becoming the COO of Fortune 500’s Cisco? What has she learned along the way?
Maria Martinez first learned the value of family at a young age when her father passed away. Her mother worked hard as a CPA, and then in banking, to support them in Puerto Rico. Maria learned a valuable lesson from her mom: to work hard, to do your best, and to always try to do more than what is asked of you.
Because of her mom’s hard work, Maria was able to attend private school. Her high school math teacher pulled her aside and recommended she go into engineering. Such an idea had never crossed Maria’s mind before. Even today, Martinez actively supports organizations that promote STEM and early career development. She wants, most of all, to help children – especially little girls from underserved neighborhoods and schools. She believes that giving them the opportunity to learn about science, technology, engineering and math opens the door to possibilities they would otherwise not have exposure to.
Martinez took her teacher’s advice and earned her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad de Puerto Rico. She landed a job as Department Head with AT&T Bell Labs in Columbus, Ohio in 1980, where she also earned her Masters Degree in Computer Engineering at Ohio State University.
After working with Bell Labs for 11 years, Martinez took on her first executive position at Motorola – and has continued to grow as a leader with each new step in her career. She assumed her first role as CEO and president with a start-up, Embrace Networks, a developer of ISP and network solutions. From there she became corporate vice president in Microsoft’s communications sector.
Martinez joined Salesforce in 2010 as chief growth officer and executive vice president of customers for life. This was at a crucial time when tech firms were focusing on improving customer service. Martinez was able to develop a model in one of the country’s largest and fastest-growing tech businesses. Her model is now being used by many companies.
Work hard, do your best, and always try to do more than what you’re asked for.
The importance of family and work-life balance is one of Maria’s top priorities as well. She made sure to spend quality time with her daughter, even with her busy executive career, and now they have a close bond as adults. Martinez recognizes that sometimes a family obligation needs to come first. Giving employees some flexibility and freedom works best for both the company and the worker, and is key in retaining long-term talent. She has created a work culture where besides doing their work well, employees are encouraged to learn, to pursue their passions, and to not give up. Martinez knows first-hand that many hispanics don’t receive this kind of encouragement and support.
The importance of diversity has grown with Martinez’ work as well. When she first began serving in boardrooms, she often stood out, being a hispanic woman. But this has changed in recent years, as nonprofits have worked hard to implement strategies to increase diversity in the workplace at all levels. Working with and hearing diverse points of view, cultures and background has been key in her job of attracting and retaining customers, and it makes a huge difference all the way up to executive and leadership levels.
It’s this importance on diversity which attracted Martinez to become the chief customer experience officer at Cisco in 2018. Cisco has been incorporating diversity into all parts of the company – even its boardroom – leading to greater success in understanding and meeting the needs of its widely diverse customer base. In 2021 Maria Martinez became COO at Cisco. She continues to put her stamp on a variety of key technical roles there. In her free time, she helps spread STEM awareness and spends time in coaching, mentoring, and sponsorships. She understands that key moments in a young person’s journey can change their lives, and the future for all of us.
These same lessons are what make Living Talent one of the best technology recruiters. We understand the importance of work-life balance, in having time and flexibility in a demanding career for health and wellness, for cultivating our personal passions, and for taking care of family when needed. We are building a diverse community of talent who work hard, do their best, and strive to deliver more than what’s expected. We know what’s important. We are Living Talent.
Written by: Jerilyn Winstead