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Sheryl Sandberg

Operator

Sheryl Sandberg is the Founder of LeanIn.Org, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women to achieve their ambitions. Prior to this role, she served as Chief Operating Officer of Meta (Facebook) from 2008 to 2022, where she helped build one of the world's most powerful digital advertising businesses, and as Vice President of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google from 2001 to 2008. Earlier in her career, she served as Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Last updated Jun 6, 2026 by the ATDb Editorial Team

Role
Founder
Company
LeanIn.Org
Based
Menlo Park, California, United States
Boards
4
Connections
4
Years in industry
23 years

Bio

Sheryl Sandberg is the Founder of LeanIn.Org, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women to achieve their ambitions. Prior to this role, she served as Chief Operating Officer of Meta (Facebook) from 2008 to 2022, where she helped build one of the world's most powerful digital advertising businesses, and as Vice President of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google from 2001 to 2008. Earlier in her career, she served as Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Career

  • Chief Operating Officer

    Meta (Facebook) · 2008-2022

  • Vice President, Global Online Sales and Operations

    Google · 2001-2008

  • Chief of Staff

    U.S. Department of the Treasury · 1996-2001

Board memberships

Meta Platforms (former)The Walt Disney CompanyWomen for Women InternationalCenter for Global Development

Advisory roles

Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation

Expertise & education

Expertise

Social Media AdvertisingSelf-Serve Advertising PlatformsMobile Advertising MonetizationAudience Targeting and SegmentationAd Measurement and AttributionSearch Advertising (AdWords/AdSense)Brand SafetyPrivacy-Conscious Advertising

Education

  • BA in Economics, Harvard University
  • MBA, Harvard Business School

Speaking topics

Digital Advertising Strategy and MonetizationWomen in Technology and LeadershipResilience and Navigating AdversityThe Future of Social Media and CommercePrivacy and Data Ethics in AdvertisingScaling Technology Businesses

Recognition

Notable achievements

  • Scaled Facebook's advertising revenue from near zero to over $100 billion annually during her tenure as COO
  • Helped build Google AdWords and AdSense into the dominant digital advertising products of the 2000s
  • Pioneered Facebook's mobile advertising monetization strategy, which became critical to the company's post-IPO recovery and growth
  • Authored 'Lean In' (2013), a #1 New York Times bestseller that sold over 4 million copies worldwide
  • Named to Time magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People multiple times
  • First woman to serve on Facebook's Board of Directors

Awards

Time 100 Most Influential People (multiple years)Fortune Most Powerful Women in Business (multiple years)Forbes World's 100 Most Powerful Women (multiple years)

Publications

  • Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead (2013)
  • Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy (2017, co-authored with Adam Grant)
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