Maria A. Cirino '85

2003–2008
Maria Cirino graduated from Mount Holyoke with an A.B. in English in 1985. She has 18 years of experience in high technology leadership positions, including executive experience in worldwide sales, marketing, and business development. Currently CEO and chairman of Guardent, Cirino previously served as a member of the executive teams at Shiva Corporation (now Intel Corporation) and i-Cube, Inc. (now Avenue A | Razorfish).

Regarded as a leader in the industry, Cirino is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and has been featured throughout industry and business media. Cirino sits on the board of directors for Keane, the Massachusetts Software and Internet Council, and the board of governors for the Entrepreneurs Foundation of New England. Additionally, Cirino has received many industry honors: she was named one of the 100 most powerful women in Boston by Boston Magazine, one of the top 25 women in information security by Information Security Magazine, one of the area's top "40 under 40" technology executives by the Boston Business Journal, and she was inducted by Women's Business Magazine into the Women's Business Hall of Fame.

In 2001 Upside Magazine placed Cirino on its women in technology list, and Mass High Tech presented her with the Mass High Tech All Star Award. In 2002, Ernst & Young selected Cirino as its Entrepreneur of the Year for Business Services. The Commonwealth Institute and Babson College have also chosen Guardent as one of the top 100 woman-led businesses in Massachusetts.