Ms. Suhasini Sabnis - Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Ms. Suhasini Sabnis

M.Sc., Mathematics with specialization in Statistics and Operations Research, 1982

Ms. Suhasini Sabnis is the Global Program Lead for Privacy and Trust Engineering at Amazon Alexa Devices.

After her M.Sc. from IIT Bombay in 1982, she pursued a dual M.S. in Statistics and Operations Research from The Pennsylvania State University, followed by an M.S. in Computer Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Her distinguished career in bridging telecommunications, compliance, and AI technologies, began at AT&T Bell Labs in 1987, and later continued at Nokia, where she, as Senior Director of Compliance and Assurance, directed a global programme overseeing financial, legal, and regulatory compliance across IT services, with deep involvement in Europe’s rapidly developing data privacy and security frameworks. Now at Amazon, she drives initiatives for customer trust and protection in Generative AI, drawing from her expertise in consumer-facing technologies.

She has four patents in telecommunications and network security, has received recognition as a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff at AT&T, is the US delegate to ISO/IEC JTC1 SC27 working groups, focusing on the ISO/IEC 27000 series of standards, Information Security Management System; Elected Editor for ISO/IEC 27033-3 standards document on the security aspects of the management, operation and use of information system networks and nominated to the Alcatel-Lucent Academy for technical excellence in engineering, innovation, and research.

Ms. Sabnis’s active involvement as an alumna includes serving as Treasurer and Executive Committee member of the IITBHF, as Trustee at the Greater New York chapter and on the Organizing Committee for IITB Golden Jubilee 2008 conference, and the IIT 2011 Global Conference in NYC. She was also responsible for grant-making to IITB and IITBAA during her tenure as IITBHF’s Treasurer.

On community engagement, Ms. Sabnis is looking to expand her horizons to volunteer on local city boards and commissions dealing with Arts, Parks, Recreation, and Youth programme.

Hobbies:
Quilting, hiking, and travelling.

Motivation towards contribution to IIT Bombay

“I have always found joy in volunteering—whether delivering Meals on Wheels to seniors, helping with my children’s school fundraising activities, or assisting at the local temple’s gift shop. Although I had attended IIT Bombay alumni events as a participant, my deeper involvement began with a call for volunteers for the GJ2008 event. This opportunity allowed me to contribute behind the scenes by helping set up the event’s website and registration infrastructure. Under the guidance of Suresh Shenoy, who served as a wonderful mentor, I also became involved in organizing the women’s panel and other aspects of this large and dynamic gathering. Collaborating with an exceptional team of volunteers, including leaders like Vinay, Sreedhar, Jignesh, Jude, Vikas, and Kumar, was both inspiring and motivating, sparking my continued involvement in alumni activities ever since.”

Special Memories

“There are many incredible memories... first Mood Indigo, late night chat sessions in H10... hostel council elections where I was a reluctant candidate that won, Math department trip to Matheran and other events that have culminated in life-long friendships that I am forever grateful for. The dedication of professors like Vartak, Krishnamurthy, Gopalan and others... shaped not only my beliefs and aspirations but also the course of my career and the choices I’ve made along the way."