Judith Estrin
Encyclopedia
Judith "Judy" L. Estrin is an American business executive. She is currently the CEO
of JLabs (formerly called Packet Design Management Company), through which she pursues a broad range of advisory activities including sitting on corporate and advisory boards and speaking engagements. Judy is the author of "Closing the Innovation Gap: Reigniting the Spark of Creativity in a Global Economy" (McGraw-Hill
; Hardcover
, September 2008), a general interest book that challenges national, academic and business leaders to work together to make USA competitive again. Estrin is a technology entrepreneur who co-founded seven companies with Bill Carrico
and was the CTO of Cisco Systems
from 1998 to 2000. Estrin serves on the Board of Directors of the Walt Disney Company (since 1998) and the FedEx
Corporation (since 1989). Formerly, she served on the boards of Rockwell
and Sun Microsystems
. She also serves on the advisory boards of Stanford’s School of Engineering
and Bio-X interdisciplinary program, and is a member of the University of California President’s Science and Innovation Advisory Board.
in mathematics and computer science from UCLA, where her father, Gerald Estrin
, and sister, Deborah Estrin
, are professors, and a master's degree
in electrical engineering
from Stanford University
(1977).
, a computer science pioneer often called the "Father of the Internet". Cerf’s team developed the TCP/IP specification which forms the underlying technology of the Internet
.
After Stanford she worked at Zilog Corporation
, where she contributed to the design of the Z8
and Z8000
microprocessors and led the team that developed one of the first commercial local area network
systems called Z-net.
In 1981, Estrin co-founded Bridge Communications
— a network router, bridges and communications server
s company. The company merged with 3Com
in 1986. In 1988 she joined the founding team of Network Computing Devices
(NCD) as Executive Vice President, later becoming President and CEO in 1993.
In 1995, she co-founded Precept Software
, Inc., a developer of networking software company, and served as President and CEO until its acquisition by Cisco Systems
in 1998, when she became its CTO and Senior Vice President of Cisco Systems until 2000.
In 2000, Estrin co-founded Packet Design, LLC, a networking technology company that spun out three venture backed start-up
s, including Packet Design, Inc, on whose board she still serves. She served as Packet Design, LLC’s CEO until it was dissolved, distributing its assets to investors in late 2007.
Estrin has three times been named to Fortune magazine's list of the 50 most powerful women in American business. She was honored in 2002 with induction into the Women in Technology International
Hall of Fame.
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of JLabs (formerly called Packet Design Management Company), through which she pursues a broad range of advisory activities including sitting on corporate and advisory boards and speaking engagements. Judy is the author of "Closing the Innovation Gap: Reigniting the Spark of Creativity in a Global Economy" (McGraw-Hill
McGraw-Hill
The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., is a publicly traded corporation headquartered in Rockefeller Center in New York City. Its primary areas of business are financial, education, publishing, broadcasting, and business services...
; Hardcover
Hardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
, September 2008), a general interest book that challenges national, academic and business leaders to work together to make USA competitive again. Estrin is a technology entrepreneur who co-founded seven companies with Bill Carrico
William N. Carrico, Jr.
William "Bill" N. Carrico, Jr. is a computer scientist and has founded several technology companies in the Silicon Valley area. He has been president and CEO of 3Com Corporation, senior vice president of Cisco Systems, and currently works at Packet Design LLC....
and was the CTO of Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
from 1998 to 2000. Estrin serves on the Board of Directors of the Walt Disney Company (since 1998) and the FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
Corporation (since 1989). Formerly, she served on the boards of Rockwell
Rockwell
- People :* Dick Rockwell, an American comic strip and comic book artist, nephew of Norman Rockwell* Francis W. Rockwell, a United States Congressman from Massachusetts* Francis W...
and Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
. She also serves on the advisory boards of Stanford’s School of Engineering
Stanford University School of Engineering
Stanford University School of Engineering is one of the schools of Stanford University. The school has had eight deans; the current is James D. Plummer.-Previous Deans:# Theodore J. Hoover 1925-1936# Samuel B. Morris 1936-1944...
and Bio-X interdisciplinary program, and is a member of the University of California President’s Science and Innovation Advisory Board.
Education
Estrin received a bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in mathematics and computer science from UCLA, where her father, Gerald Estrin
Gerald Estrin
Prof. Gerald Estrin, an IEEE Fellow, a Guggenheim Fellow, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel. Estrin received his B.S, M.S. and Ph.D...
, and sister, Deborah Estrin
Deborah Estrin
Deborah Estrin is a professor of Computer Science at UCLA. She is the daughter of Gerald Estrin, also a UCLA Computer Science professor, and the sister of Judy Estrin. She is a pioneer in the field of embedded network sensing and is the director of the Center for Embedded Networked Sensing at UCLA...
, are professors, and a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in electrical engineering
Electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
(1977).
Business career
While at Stanford, Estrin worked with the research group headed by Vint CerfVint Cerf
Vinton Gray "Vint" Cerf is an American computer scientist, who is recognized as one of "the fathers of the Internet", sharing this title with American computer scientist Bob Kahn...
, a computer science pioneer often called the "Father of the Internet". Cerf’s team developed the TCP/IP specification which forms the underlying technology of the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
.
After Stanford she worked at Zilog Corporation
Zilog
Zilog, Inc., previously known as ZiLOG , is a manufacturer of 8-bit and 24-bit microcontrollers, and is most famous for its Intel 8080-compatible Z80 series.-History:...
, where she contributed to the design of the Z8
Zilog Z8
The Zilog Z8 is a microcontroller architecture, originally introduced in 1979, which today also includes the eZ8 Encore!, eZ8 Encore! XP, and eZ8 Encore! MC families....
and Z8000
Zilog Z8000
The Z8000 is a 16-bit microprocessor introduced by Zilog in 1979. The architecture was designed by Bernard Peuto while the logic and physical implementation was done by Masatoshi Shima, assisted by a small group of people. The Z8000 was not Z80-compatible, and although it saw steady use well into...
microprocessors and led the team that developed one of the first commercial local area network
Local area network
A local area network is a computer network that interconnects computers in a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building...
systems called Z-net.
In 1981, Estrin co-founded Bridge Communications
Bridge Communications
Bridge Communications, Inc. was founded by Judy Estrin and Bill Carrico in 1981 and was based in Mountain View, California. Bridge Communications made computer network bridges, routers, and communications servers...
— a network router, bridges and communications server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
s company. The company merged with 3Com
3Com
3Com was a pioneering digital electronics manufacturer best known for its computer network infrastructure products. The company was co-founded in 1979 by Robert Metcalfe, Howard Charney, Bruce Borden, and Greg Shaw...
in 1986. In 1988 she joined the founding team of Network Computing Devices
Network Computing Devices
Network Computing Devices was a company founded in 1987 to produce a new class of products now known as a "thin client". It was founded in Mountain View, CA, and when it closed it was headquartered in Portland, Oregon....
(NCD) as Executive Vice President, later becoming President and CEO in 1993.
In 1995, she co-founded Precept Software
Precept Software
Precept Software was a company based in the United States producing a series of products known as Precept IP/TV. It was acquired by Cisco Systems on March 11, 1998....
, Inc., a developer of networking software company, and served as President and CEO until its acquisition by Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. is an American multinational corporation headquartered in San Jose, California, United States, that designs and sells consumer electronics, networking, voice, and communications technology and services. Cisco has more than 70,000 employees and annual revenue of US$...
in 1998, when she became its CTO and Senior Vice President of Cisco Systems until 2000.
In 2000, Estrin co-founded Packet Design, LLC, a networking technology company that spun out three venture backed start-up
Startup company
A startup company or startup is a company with a limited operating history. These companies, generally newly created, are in a phase of development and research for markets...
s, including Packet Design, Inc, on whose board she still serves. She served as Packet Design, LLC’s CEO until it was dissolved, distributing its assets to investors in late 2007.
Estrin has three times been named to Fortune magazine's list of the 50 most powerful women in American business. She was honored in 2002 with induction into the Women in Technology International
Women in Technology International
Women in Technology International is a worldwide organization dedicated to the advancement of women in business and technology. It was established in 1989 by Carolyn Leighton as an email-based information network business....
Hall of Fame.
External links
- Judith Estrin profile, Forbes.com.
- Women Who Inspire Us, Judy Estrin
- Alumni profile: Judith Estrin, Stanford University.
- Speaking at Stanford
- Podcast Interview as one of NCWIT's Entrepreneurial Heroes
- http://www.pbs.org/cringely/nerdtv/transcripts/013.html
- Closing the Innovation Gap
Further reading
- Estrin, Judy. "Nature or Nurture: My Life in Technology, So Far", Computer History MuseumComputer History MuseumThe Computer History Museum is a museum established in 1996 in Mountain View, California, USA. The Museum is dedicated to preserving and presenting the stories and artifacts of the information age, and exploring the computing revolution and its impact on our lives.-History:The museum's origins...
.