
Sharon is an excellent Italian cook. She often helps ROI’s clients untangle challenges that are so complicated they seem like spaghetti.
Sharon Cullen helps companies communicate directly and clearly, especially in times of dramatic change.
"I've been on the other side, and know what employees are going through," she said, recounting a time early in her career when the startup she worked for was integrated – barely – into a larger corporation. "There was no plan, no organization, no communication. It was tough."
As a communications professional with more than a decade of experience in mergers and acquisitions, she now helps organizations avoid such confusion through strategic planning and deliberate execution. "I like making the complex simple and understandable, so people know what their roles will be in achieving not just the company’s goals, but their own."
After graduating from San Jose State University with a BS in Advertising, Sharon began her career as a Venture Investment Program Coordinator for Sun Microsystems, building a web infrastructure and database to track and maximize venture opportunities. Later, she shifted into planning and facilitating communications during mergers and acquisitions, to streamline the integration of acquired companies.
Seeking to broaden her experience, Sharon moved on to Cisco Systems in 2006, where she developed a model of unified, executive communications to enable leaders in different organizations to collaborate effectively. Later, she moved on to strengthen the employee experience by improving overall communications throughout the company. Attracted to the breadth and caliber of ROI Communication’s clients and consulting work, Sharon joined the ROI team in 2010.
Sharon is an active Board Member for the Silicon Valley chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). When she’s not working or volunteering, she is often found in her kitchen, preparing another gourmet feast.