Sarita Pillai is EDC’s Vice President for Strategic Partnerships and a nationally known expert in STEM education and workforce development. Drawing on 25 years of experience in forming and sustaining highly productive public-private-nonprofit partnerships, she leads efforts to cultivate and sustain high-value relationships that advance EDC’s mission and drive business growth. As a key member of EDC’s Growth + Partnerships Leadership Team, she helps shape EDC’s business development strategy, analyze progress in reaching key targets, and identify opportunities to strengthen education, health, and workforce development systems.

Sarita brings deep subject matter expertise in effective strategies to expand and strengthen the STEM innovation workforce to meet growing demands for skilled workers in AI, IT, computer science, data science, and engineering. She has a track record of successfully leading national centers of excellence, such as STELAR and CIRCLS, that enhance the quality and effectiveness of K–12 and postsecondary STEM education. Previously, she oversaw EDC’s workforce development portfolio focused on building the foundational skills and competencies needed for success in STEM education and career pathways.

Sarita led the research and scholarship for a seminal report on the future of work and serves as a media commentator on creating a future-ready STEM workforce. Recently, she co-authored the report, “Unveiling the Value of Exploration: Insights from NSF-Funded Research on Emerging Technologies for Teaching and Learning.” She is the co-author of the book More than Title IX and has published her work in periodicals such as the Journal of Science Education and Technology.

Sarita holds an MBA from Bentley University and a BS in Computer Science from Northeastern University College of Computer and Information Science.