Black History Month - Showcasing Product Leader Dr. Marian Croak

BPMA continues its mandate to amplify efforts to make Product Management more inclusive and diverse. Details about our diversity work can be found here.

BPMA continues its celebration of Black History month by featuring the accomplishments of Dr. Marian Rogers Croak, developer of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), the technologies for the delivery of voice communications and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet.

Dr. Croak holds over 200 patents; more than 100 are in the area of VOIP. She began her career at Bell Labs (later Bell AT&T Labs) where her last role was Senior Vice President of Research and Development. While at Bell Labs she recognized the growing importance of internet protocols and the need to invest in replacing wired phone technology. She invented the technology that allowed people to use text messages to securely send funds to charity, which was used after Hurricane Katrina, and the earthquake in Haiti. This technology was also used when AT&T partnered with American Idol for its text voting system.

She is currently Vice President of Engineering at Google working on bringing the Internet to emerging market economies. And she was just recently announced as the head of responsible AI research.

Whether it’s entertainment, helping those in need, or working remotely, Dr. Croak’s groundbreaking work has made a major contribution to all aspects of our lives. In 2013, she was inducted in the Women in Technology International’s Hall of Fame, and serves on the Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights Education Center’s board.

Dr. Croaks’ passion for solving problems resonates with product managers everywhere, and her dedication to her staff and team members is an inspiration for all.