Camila Casale lives in Miami, Florida, and has distinguished herself through her work in the tech industry. She is passionate about technology, diversity, inclusion and equity, which has driven her to contribute to a better world.
Camila has enjoyed an exciting journey, growing up in Argentina, where her parents always encouraged her to take risks and step out of her comfort zone. “Over the years, I have worked for various companies such as Frost & Sullivan, Softtek, and Claro Enterprise Solutions, part of Carlos Slim’s America Movil group. In these roles, I managed teams in Europe, South America, Miami, and New York”. Camila spoke encouragingly about her professional path.
First, we would like to get to know you. Who is Camila and what is your story?
I am a Latina woman who is proud to be a mom – I am pregnant with my second child. I am also fortunate enough to have a place at the C-suite as the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Sorenson. My passion for technology, diversity, inclusion, and equity has driven me to become an advocate for positive change in the world. I am a mentor, a mentee, and I strongly believe in sponsoring talent to help others achieve their goals.
Over the years, I have worked for various companies such as Frost & Sullivan, Softtek, and Claro Enterprise Solutions, part of Carlos Slim’s America Movil group. In these roles, I managed teams in Europe, South America, Miami, and New York.
I have been living in Miami for the past 10 years, and I am happily married to an amazing husband who is a surgeon. We have a three-year-old son who reminds me every day of what’s truly important in life. I am proud of my accomplishments and failures, as they have helped me get to where I am today, and I am excited to see what the future holds for me both professionally and personally.
Can you tell us about your background and how it has influenced your career path?
I attended university in Buenos Aires, studying business, and during my studies, I had the opportunity to complete an internship with IBM. It was during that time that I fell in love with technology and decided to pursue a career in the field. Looking back, I guess I followed my parents’ advice in not taking the easy path!
Throughout my career, I have learned to appreciate the importance of diversity. As a woman in tech and a Latin woman in the U.S, diversity has been a crucial part of my experience. Additionally, the teams I led were comprised of people from different cultures, countries, demographics, and backgrounds. It has been eye-opening to see how the unique perspectives and experiences of my team members have contributed to the success of our projects.
And…. what about your current role at Sorenson?
In my current role as CMO of Sorenson, my focus is on the company’s global presence and supporting our expansion into new markets. I am responsible for defining and executing our go-to-market and marketing strategy, including advertising, marketing communications, social media, and public relations. I am a forever student, always looking for new ways to improve and be more effective, and to ensure that our budgets are being put to optimal use.
The meaning of diversity has reached a new level at Sorenson. We work to enable seamless communication for diverse people, including people who are Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and for people who speak different languages. It is an honor to be a part of a company that is making such a positive impact on people’s lives.
As a leader, what are your core values and how do they guide your decision-making?
One is related to diversity, and the importance of listening to and considering other points of view, particularly people whose backgrounds and perspectives are different from yours, or different from the mainstream point of view. I have come to appreciate that a person’s background and experience can contribute to a creative approach to problem-solving, which businesses should value. Second, the importance of giving back. I have been fortunate to have amazing mentors in my life and career, who have helped me tremendously. I’ve tried to do my part, and a few years ago founded the Women in Technology (WITech) Miami Council, a non-profit that aims to connect, advance, and empower women tech leaders of all backgrounds and nationalities to succeed.
A more business-oriented value concerns the importance of focusing on the customer. I started out on the consulting side, and that has helped me to understand the importance of probing to define a customer’s needs and pain points, and I try to bring that to a marketing and strategy standpoint.
Can you share a challenge you faced in your career and how you overcame it?
Well, I feel like there have been many and that I am constantly overcoming them, and I think you need to look at challenges as opportunities. To take one example, early in my career I was working with a technology research analysis firm and had an opportunity to lead a new business unit in Europe. I moved to Nice, France, without knowing how to speak French, by the way, and we exceeded sales and revenue targets.
What advice would you give to young women who aspire to leadership positions in the tech industry?
I would share the same advice that my parents gave me – don’t be afraid to fail, always push yourself, and do not take “no” for an answer.
In your opinion, what is the role of companies in promoting diversity, social justice, and equity?
I believe companies should play a central role in these areas, particularly in diversity. For one thing, diversity is key to success. As I’ve mentioned, diversity can help bring innovative new approaches and creativity to problem-solving. For me, the key is to think beyond diversity and to pursue true inclusion – there is an important difference.
I heard somewhere that diversity is being invited to the party, and inclusion is being invited to dance. I think that says it all. In my current role at Sorenson, we aim to provide that inclusion to our customers. For a Deaf person, for example, inclusion means being able to participate in a Zoom meeting, to have access to an ASL interpreter, when you need them, to be able to understand clearly what is being discussed, and to be able to ask questions and provide input.
Can you please share with us 3 trends in marketing and technology industry?
First, AI is having a huge impact on all marketers. I think one priority must be to understand the potential, find the right applications, and adapt to new technologies as effectively as we can. Second, the other side of that, and perhaps more important, we need to understand how AI impacts our roles and the skills we and our teams need to be most effective. Then we need to respond to those new needs and adapt quickly. Furthermore, another trend I see is around technology as an enabler of accessibility and inclusion. At Sorenson, for example, we recently launched a new service that gives Deaf people on-demand access to ASL interpreters for Zoom calls. That makes it possible for Deaf people to be included in spur-of-the-moment meetings, and to be active participants.
