Women in leadership: Sashieka Seneviratne, Director of Cloud RAN Solutions

Sashieka filming at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

Breaking barriers in tech: Sashieka Seneviratne’s career journey 

When you hear Sashieka speak, one thing stands out immediately: her journey is not just about career progression, it’s about courage, resilience, and redefining what it means to thrive in technology. 

Since Sashieka’s interview, she has taken on a new role as Director of Cloud RAN Solutions, AT&T CU. She also now holds a Board position with Tech Titans, representing Ericsson as the Vice Chair for STEM. As former Director of Sustainable Technologies at Ericsson North America, Sashieka helped lead telecom providers across the U.S. and Canada in transforming their networks to be more energy-efficient and future-ready. But the path to this role was anything but linear. 

From Sri Lanka to North America: Following curiosity 

Sashieka grew up in Sri Lanka, where at 16 she made a bold decision, she wanted to study abroad. With her parents’ life savings funding just “one shot,” she landed in Canada to study engineering. 

At first, she didn’t know which field of engineering to pursue. But by following her curiosity, first in civil engineering, and ultimately in electrical engineering specializing in electromagnetics while minoring in business and entrepreneurship, she discovered her passion. That curiosity, she says, became one of her greatest career tools. 

“Every career move I’ve made has been very deliberate. I set goals for where I need to grow next, and what I can contribute.” 

Sahshieka talking at the Canadian Telecom Summit

Building mastery, broadening horizons 

Her early career at Nortel (later acquired by Ericsson) was spent mastering Radio hardware architecture, with focus on Power Amplifier design. For 10 years, she immersed herself in radio hardware engineering, traveling the world to design and test systems. Along the way, she filed patents, earned trade secrets, and built a reputation for technical excellence. 

But she didn’t stop there. She deliberately chose roles outside her comfort zone, from digital design leadership to customer-facing technical strategy - each time expanding her skill set. Today, she works at the intersection of technology innovation, sustainability, and customer engagement, even representing Ericsson on global stages like Mobile World Congress. 

Four lessons from 19+ years in tech 

Reflecting on nearly two decades at Ericsson, Sashieka distilled her career into four guiding lessons: 

1. Dream big, then plan deliberately. 
   Dreams without goals are just dreams. Every move Sashieka made was intentional, designed to prepare her for the next chapter. 
2. Don’t let outside voices define you. 
   As a woman in tech, she often faced dismissive comments. She learned to trust her own voice and protect her confidence. 
3. Embrace failure as part of growth. 
   Her first three patent submissions were rejected, but persistence, feedback, and grit turned setbacks into success. 
4. Cultivate a growth mindset & challenge yourself. 
   Preparation is key so that when new opportunities arise, you’ll be ready to take them on. 

On mentorship and sponsorship 

Sashieka is passionate about the role mentors and sponsors play in shaping careers, especially for women in tech. She emphasizes that mentorship is not just about guidance, but advocacy: 

“A true mentor is someone who will pound the table on your behalf behind closed doors. To earn that, you need both performance currency and relationship currency.” 

She encourages employees to take advantage of Ericsson’s open culture, where reaching out to leaders (even by email) is welcomed. Just as importantly, she pays it forward by mentoring others across the company. 

Seneviratne speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, discussing strategies for decarbonizing the supply chain alongside fellow panelist from Nokia.

Championing women in tech 

As a woman of color in telecom, Sashieka acknowledges the challenges of perception bias; being underestimated, overlooked, or subjected to stereotypes. Yet she chooses bravery over perfectionism, reminding women to raise their hands for opportunities, make their ambitions known, and build a trusted circle of allies. 

“Make your career goals known. If you want a seat at the table, raise your hand, let it be known, and then ask yourself what you need to do to get there.” 

Advice for the next generation 

To interns, new grads, and early-career professionals, Sashieka leaves three pieces of advice: 

1. Don’t overestimate others. Leaders were once beginners too. 
2. Genius leaves clues. Study those you admire and learn from them. 
3. Be your own cheerleader. Your inner voice matters more than outside noise. 

And to her younger self? “Learn to speak up sooner. Imposter syndrome can become your superpower because it drives you to overprepare and ultimately excel.” 

Why Ericsson? 

When asked what it’s like to be a woman at Ericsson, her response was immediate: 

“It’s great. You’re surrounded by women who shine in their element, and you’re supported to do the same.” 

At Ericsson, Sashieka has found not only a place for her, but a platform to grow, lead, and inspire others to follow. 

Looking for your platform to grow? Check out our open roles to find a place for you.