Coming full Circle

A simple Pune girl with big dreams who rose to become a successful woman leader in tech, Shalaka Kathapurkar Sankpal’s journey spans over 25 years and several continents. As she takes over as Vice President for Growth and Commercialisation-PayPal Checkout at PayPal, San Jose, California, her journey stands out not just as a fine example of self-scripted success, but also the importance of lending a hand to others as you climb. Over two-and-a-half decades, her career has taken her across leadership roles at some of the world’s most influential companies, including Google, Walmart, and eBay. Yet, beyond the impressive resume, what truly stands out is how she has come full circle. Years ago, she was a recipient of an educational sponsorship from the Lila Poonawalla Foundation (LPF), a lifeline that helped her pursue her goals. Now, she’s paying it forward, mentoring and sponsoring the next generation of women in tech. This is her story, and this is how she tells it

Corporate Citizen: Shalaka, we believe you're a Pune girl through and through?

Shalaka Kathapurkar Sankpal: Pretty much, yes. Though I was born in Andheri, Mumbai, I studied in Pune right from grade school to junior college at Fergusson College, and then completed my engineering at the Vishwakarma Institute of Technology. Right after graduation, I left for the US to pursue my master's in electrical and computer engineering. Ever since then, that is 1999, I have been here in the US.

CC: You went to Michigan but have moved from there since...

I got admission into Michigan State University, true, but had no idea what I was getting into from a weather standpoint. It's a super cold place with freezing temperatures, so the first opportunity I got to move away as far as I could, I took it. My first job lent me the opportunity to pick between New York, Chicago, Detroit and San Francisco, and I picked sunny California.

CC: Tell us about your growing up years and family life.

We were a close-knit family of four: my older sister, myself and my parents. Dad worked in a bank; mom took tuitions at home. We were content and happy as a family with whatever we had. There was a lot of focus on values, doing the right thing, being kind, and making responsible choices. Giving back was always part of the ethos we imbibed; it wasn't necessary to have a lot of wealth and knowledge to make a difference; one just had to give back in small ways.

In the tenth grade, I started giving tuitions at home; younger students would come to me for Maths, Science and English. It seemed a natural choice, since mom used to be a teacher too. After we were born it was just too hectic for her to continue with school, so she started taking tuition from home. I watched and I learned.

I also have fond memories of my grandparents and spending quality time with them and my cousins. In a nutshell, it was a happy, secure and comfortable childhood that encouraged us to do our best and go all out to accomplish whatever we wanted.

CC: How did you come to be part of the Lila Poonawalla Foundation?

The Lila Poonawalla Foundation was in its early stages when I applied. They started in 1995; I applied in 1999, so it was all of four years old. I got to know about LPF through family friends. The foundation, they assured me, supported girls who wished to pursue higher education. And so, I went through the application process. I wished to go to the US which demanded a hefty fee. My dad had some savings to cover my initial fees, and the critical help from LPF helped cover transportation to the US, which was super timely.

"Coming to the US was my decision. I didn't know the country; I didn't have anybody here; I didn't even know how I was going to take care of my financial and emotional needs. But, there was no doubt, no fear. What really counted was this fire in my belly—I wanted to make something of myself "

- Shalaka Kathapurkar Sankpal

CC: What was it like to move so far away from home at just 20? Can you walk us through that journey? What did it teach you?

Right from childhood, I've been fiercely independent and confident about myself. Coming to the US was my decision; no one asked me to go through the trouble. But it was something I wanted to do for myself, and I went about the process without a fuss, whether it was the GRE or TOEFL, so much so that mom didn't take it seriously at all. But then I got admission; that's when it dawned on me that I was really going.

Since it was my own decision, I was super excited. Young as I was, there was no nervousness though—my 21st birthday was celebrated on US shores. I didn't know the country; I didn't have anybody here; I didn't even know how I was going to take care of my financial and emotional needs. But, there was no doubt, no fear. What really counted was this fire in my belly—I wanted to make something of myself.

To that end, I took a lot in my stride, including the cultural gaps, my different accent, the fact that I might not be dressing the way I was expected. None of these gaps bothered me and I simply focused on what was most needed at that time — getting an assistantship, completing my studies, and finding the right opportunities to start my career.

CC: You graduated with Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering, and then did your master’s in electrical and computer engineering at Michigan State University. Tell us about your internship at DuPont.

Yes, as it happened, I had sent applications for some 30-40 internships and DuPont came along. Instead of doing just a three-month stint at DuPont, which is typically a summer internship, I decided to do a 'co-op' which is six or seven months of learning on the job. So, there I was out of Michigan State at DuPont in Virginia getting real-life experience. Post the co-op, I returned to complete my degree.

CC: What were the first few years of your work journey like: from Capgemini to Ernst & Young and then Google?

I started at Capgemini, California. Getting away from the cold in Michigan was just part of the reason; I also wanted to start my career in consulting. Even as I was stepping into the workforce, having the ability to go across multiple industries and multiple functional views and getting the experience of facing customers and solving problems would be helpful. Sure enough, Capgemini was a fantastic, enriching experience. I travelled across the country, meeting different clients and addressing their problems. All in all, a tremendous learning experience. I did that for about 5.5 years but then the travel got to me. In the meantime, I had also got married. It made sense to be local in the Bay area and so I looked around and found a role at eBay on the operations side. Besides, it would be a good way to get into the tech industry and augment the experience I had in consulting.

At eBay I met the most fantastic people I am still in touch with. I got to do a variety of functional roles, from operations to product management. From there, I wanted to get closer to the strategy part of it, picking up the nitty-gritty of running a business. That was also very fulfilling. On the personal front I also had my two kids. All good, but I needed to grow.

Soon, Walmart came along. This seemed like a logical transition because eBay was at the forefront of e-commerce. What better place to take this e-commerce experience than the largest retailer in the world? I not only got to build on the e-commerce experience that I had but also learned a lot about retail.

I had two distinct roles at Walmart — I was leading the homepage and site merchandising; then I became the GM for a few of the vertical categories namely personal care and household essentials. I really loved the experience because it was a full GM experience working across many different functional areas and making sure to pull the right levers at the right time to grow business. However, Walmart was far from where I lived; about an hour and a half’s drive each way. That was not great for me or my young family and so I decided to leave. Around the same time Google called. And when Google calls, you pick up the phone.

So, I decided to move. I was hired at Google to grow e-commerce - almost like a startup within bigger Google. It was exciting, but I knew I could add more value and bring more to the table. Around the same time, Covid hit. So, I went on this massive networking journey internally and despite the restrictions, navigated my way through different coffee chats to offer my services. Through this journey, I landed a role that I loved doing at Google, which was leading agency commerce. That brought all my e-commerce and retail experience together through a Google lens. I did that for a few years but then I wanted to try something new, so I moved into commercialisation and go-to-market for a couple of verticals at Google, which were retail and travel-specific. I had a great time there as well, and earlier this year, PayPal called and wanted me to come onboard as Vice President for Growth and Commercialisation.

So, I had a moment of doubt—I was comfortable at Google, I loved the people and the culture. But then, it was a role that would allow me to grow and bring my experiences and functional skills together in one organisation. I didn't know a role like this even existed. So, it was fascinating to be able to do that, and a fine new challenge. I started in April 2025, and it's been a super-fast paced, rewarding and interesting journey thus far.

CC: Can you tell us about your personal journey. How did you meet your husband, Ashish Sankpal? Also tell us about your boys...

Though we lived 15 minutes away from each other in Pune and had common friends too, I first met Ashish at Michigan State University. He was pursuing his master's in the same field. I guess we had to move halfway across the world to meet. He was slightly senior to me, so we had a semester of overlap. We were just friends at the time and would hang out together. Though he graduated and moved to New Jersey for work, and I continued at college, we stayed in touch. Over time we got closer and then he moved to California before I did. So, when I got there, he was the only person I knew. We grew closer. Somewhere along the way, we told our parents, and they were pleased. We got engaged in April 2002 and married in December of the same year.

Like me, he has enjoyed a fulfilling career across various strata. Currently, he works for Google, leading business development for cloud security.

We have two boys who are 18 and 15 respectively. The elder one, Arin, is almost off to college at Duke, on the East Coast in North Carolina, where he will pursue biomedical engineering. We're super proud and excited for him because it's a tough school to get into. Our younger boy Vivaan is a sophomore in high school. A spirited, sporty child, he loves playing basketball.

"Your journey is never going to be a straight line; at least mine hasn't been. Life surprises you. You have to let go of some goals and choose to build on others. But, as you look back and connect the dots, it begins to make sense"

CC: Tell us about Ashish and the role he plays in your life and career. Also, a bit about how family matters to you, particularly as an Indian on foreign shores.

Ashish has been an incredible pillar of strength, even with his own demanding career. At the core, there’s mutual understanding and respect. We know we’re in it together, sometimes he does more, sometimes I do, but we balance it. Through different career phases, we’ve decided who’ll be the steady arm for the family while the other reaches for a goal.

Though I believe that family comes first, I can’t claim to have lived that every moment, as work can take over. However, balance is a core value for me, and I strive hard to live upto the balance each day; it tilts across different dimensions (work, family, social and more), however I do strike a balance the best I can. We're a close knit family, the two of us, our two boys and our dog. Ashish's parents usually spend a few months with us in the US, it's great to have the elders present. We are very close to Ashish and my siblings, and spend all the quality time we can together. My parents don’t travel as much now, but we make it a point to visit India and spend time with them. All in all, family is super important. While our experience differs from life in India, we’re a close-knit family. Living far from relatives, our friends and community have become our people, the uncles and aunts who saw the kids grow up. We celebrate many Indian festivals together, connect on various other occasions and are the family away from India.

CC: How hard has it been managing work-life balance considering you have been in the US, all on your own, since you were 20-21? What have your learnings been along the way?

For me, balance is a core value; it always has been. It’s how I’ve lived my life. What I mean is this: I don’t see work-life balance as working from time X to time Y; it depends on the need of the day. Some days I start work at 5 am; other days I’m out for a run at 8 am and start work at 9 am. Sometimes, I leave early for my child’s basketball game and finish work later. In short, it’s an art I’ve learned over time. Spontaneity and flexibility are essential because rigid time slots don’t work. The flow and effort shift based on what’s important. When I have time, I love hiking. Exercise is vital, it keeps me going. No matter how busy the day, I make time for at least a walk.

CC: Beyond work, how do you unwind?

I love hiking, biking, swimming, yoga, strength training and running, I’ve even run triathlons. I find real joy doing these outdoors rather than on a treadmill. Being out there, surrounded by nature’s happy buzz, listening to birds and soaking in the greenery is amazing. I also love playing with our dog. Family trips and vacations matter; even simple moments like watching movies, talking or playing games together are fun and meaningful. We have a healthy social life with friends I meet regularly. I also mentor girls through open mic sessions, answering their questions. Ashish and I volunteer at a children’s hospital in Buffalo, New York. All of this makes for a busy but fulfilling life.

CC: Any advice to women who work in tech?

Believe in yourself; the road is going to be hard but if you are focused don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it—you will be able to accomplish what you want. You have to stand up for yourself; sure, you will have your share of supporters and mentors too. But a lot of it starts with how much you really want your goals.

CC: From Pune to Michigan has been a long journey on so many different levels. What were the learnings along the way?

What I have learned is that at the end of the day, people are people, whether they're from India or the US. No matter what race they belong to or what god they pray to, they have the same core needs. They want to be treated right, to be heard. They will always remember how you made them feel. If you keep that lens in mind, you will find good and bad people everywhere. Many times, we judge based on deep-seated biases, but if you keep an open mind and give people a chance, they can amaze you. Of course, there will be unpleasant experiences because not everyone is who they say they are, but that is something to remember. Human connections are hugely important, and building healthy, ongoing relationships over time is what makes life meaningful.

The other learning I want to reiterate is that your journey is never going to be a straight line; at least mine hasn't been. Life surprises you. You have to let go of some goals and choose to build on others. But, as you look back and connect the dots, it begins to make sense. Being open to new experiences is so important. Some of the technologies and work I am doing today did not even exist when I was in school. There was no formal learning about them. Ashish and I talk about this often. We have had to pivot, learn, and change many times over the 25 years of our journey. That is what has kept us relevant. It is also what has kept us going as human beings. If you keep doing only what you know, it gets repetitive and boring.

"Believe in your self; the road is going to be hard but if you are focused don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it—you will be able to accomplish what you want. You have to stand up for yourself. But a lot of it starts with how much you really want your goals"

CC: Tell us about the girls you are sponsoring.

I've always wanted to do more with the foundation. Back in 1999, I got the funding I needed at a critical juncture. A year later, in 2000, I was not financially stable but was at the point where I could return the money to the LPF so someone else could benefit. And so that's what I did. I remember Lila mom (the chief trustee) asking what prompted me, and I replied that while I was on the path to getting settled, someone else might need more funding. That has been the core emotion all along. In the spirit of doing more, the foundation's former CEO Preeti Khare, while in the US, brought many of the foundation's girls together. As we spoke, I realised there were many ways to contribute: mentor girls, get involved in skills training, and so on. But, there is always a real need to sponsor girls education, and it seemed like a no-brainer. I am at a stage where Ashish and I are happy and willing to help these girls. It is hugely satisfying to help girls from India picked by the foundation. They are already halfway through engineering school.

CC: What does empowerment mean to you?

Empowerment means you understand that you have great power, which comes with great responsibility. When you decide to do something, you own it end to end. You live with the choices you make.

CC: You’ve consistently kept in touch with the LPF, especially on visits to Pune…

Yes, I have. My parents are still in Pune, and since the kids are older, I get to visit a bit more than earlier. Every time I come, I make it a point to speak to Lila mom and keep abreast of the happenings at the foundation. In 2023 and 2024, LPF had an awards function, and Lila mom invited me to be the guest of honor. It’s amazing to see the foundation bloom and grow. When I was a student, it was only for postgraduates. Soon, it started giving graduate students a chance too. The awards ceremony I attended was for seventh grade onwards. Seeing the strides the foundation has made, gives me a lot of joy. It is opening doors to so many girls, investing in their dreams and giving them a platform from where they can take that all- important jump. Right now, I am talking to Lila mom and other trustees to figure out how I can get involved more.

CC: Looking back, it's been an incredible journey. As you said, it's not been a straight line. If there were a few things you would have done differently, what would they be and why?

You know, I live my life with no regrets. Sure, I might have made mistakes along the way, but I own up to them and I don't view them with sadness. I am very happy with how things have shaped up, and where I am individually as well as with my family. I just hope to continue to impart some of the values that have guided my life to our kids. In all, I am just grateful for the journey, the ups and the downs.

CC: Is there a core philosophy you live and work by?

Give your best, give back, be curious and have fun.