Marianne is a serial entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience driving internal and external communications programs for emerging and established technology companies. Comfortable working at all stages of the corporate lifecycle, she has designed high-impact communications programs for venture-funded startups, mid-cap companies and global Fortune 1000 leaders. Marianne has specific expertise in crisis communications, IPOs, and M&A activity.

As president and CEO, Marianne is responsible for setting Sterling's overall strategic direction. She developed the firm's "Inside Agency" operating philosophy, created Sterling's 360º Communications offering, and provides executive leadership on several of the agency's accounts. As part of 360º initiatives, Marianne took on the role of head of communications for BT’s 6,000-person IT division and served as vice president of corporate communications and CMO at Juniper Networks.

She received a B.A. in economics from Williams College where she was awarded the Hubbard C. Hutchinson grant for creative excellence.  Marianne was named as a 2008 Woman of Influence in Silicon Valley and she sits on the North American Advisory Board of the Cleantech Group. In her spare time, she enjoys reading fiction, traveling, dancing and skeet shooting.

Marianne is the primary contact for Sterling's Silicon Valley headquarters. You can connect with Marianne in myriad ways:

• Twitter: @marianneoconnor
• Facebook: Marianne O'Connor
• FriendFeed: mocster
• LinkedIn: Marianne O'Connor