Marcela Escobar-Alava

Captain
DISC Type : DS

Executive Fellow in Applied Technology Policy at University of California, Berkeley

Los Angeles, California, United States

Overview

Marcela Escobar-Alava is a technology executive and CIO with deep experience in driving digital transformation in large, complex organizations. Her career includes senior leadership roles at the Social Security Administration, the White House, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. She holds an MBA from USC and is an Executive Fellow in Applied Technology Policy at UC Berkeley.

Originally from Los Angeles, Marcela is a mentor and inspirational speaker who has served on various non-profit boards related to STEM, education, and diversity. Her proudest accomplishment is raising her three children while building a progressive career. People who have worked with her describe her as hard-working, honest, and client-focused.

She received an Impactful Innovation Pitch Award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for a technology and scholarships platform she helped develop.

Personality Overview

Output-Driven

Consummate Professional

Dynamic But Sincere

They are very professional in their approach and can weigh multiple perspectives together.  They might take some time to make their mind up but once they do, they don't change it easily. They exhibit a rare combination of being result-oriented but patient at the same time.

Topics They Care About

Public Sector Modernization
As CIO for the Social Security Administration and a White House technology leader, she has focused on transforming government services and retiring legacy systems.
Applied Technology Policy
Her current Executive Fellowship at UC Berkeley is focused on shaping the future of digital governance, public policy, and technology.
Hispanic Tech Leadership
She has been repeatedly named one of the HITEC 100 Most Influential Hispanics in Technology, highlighting her role as a leader in the industry.

Media Appearances

Marcela has no verified media appearances

Work History

3-2025
Executive Fellow in Applied Technology Policy at University of California, Berkeley
1-2025
Head of Agile Infrastructure for the Americas at Sony
3-2024 - 1-2025
Chief Information Officer at Social Security Administration
10-2022 - 3-2024
Special Assistant to the President, Chief Enterprise Applications at Executive Office of the President
3-2021 - 10-2022
Special Assistant To The President and Deputy Director of White House Information Technology at The Biden-Harris White House

Education

Master of Business Administration - MBA from USC Marshall School of Business
Bachelor of Arts - BA from Loyola Marymount University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 4 Location : Los Angeles, California, United States Job Level : Mid-senior Designation : Executive Fellow in Applied Technology Policy at University of California, Berkeley
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Insights For Selling To Marcela

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • During followups, use phone or text if needed, they should be fine
  • Let them know of potential risks but suggest mitigation methods alongside
  • You can spend time on BANT (or other qualification methodology) but keep it to the point

DONT's

  • Don't shy away from asking hard questions, but be extra polite
  • Don't take their patience for granted, avoid long-winding sermons
  • Don't get into pricing discussions early on, steer conversation towards proven results

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Marcela is

  • Strong proof of impact and their conviction will matter the most, but they wouldn't want to act unilaterally either
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Marcela

  • They will say no if they are not convinced but you will have to prompt them.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Marcela move?

  • They will want to understand things well but can move fast once they have a clear picture.
  • Can Marcela take some risk or not?

  • They have good risk tolerance but are likely to think it through once or twice.

You And Marcela

Personality Compatibility


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