Smartbird has announced the nomination of Elizabeth Mora and Dan Kasun for election to its board of directors. The move aligns with the company’s strategy to deliver AI infrastructure as a managed service, aiming to strengthen its leadership and board expertise as it expands its offerings. Mora and Kasun bring deep expertise in finance, governance, and technology sales, which the company views as vital to its growth.
Elizabeth Mora brings over a decade of board experience to the table, with a strong background in governance and financial leadership. She previously served as chief financial officer at Draper Laboratory and Harvard University, where she oversaw strategic financial planning and institutional governance. Currently, she chairs the board of Inogen Inc., while also sitting on the boards of MKS Instruments and Limoneira Company, further diversifying her portfolio of experience.
Dan Kasun is no stranger to large-scale sales and partnerships, having spent significant time in the tech sector. He spent 18 years at Microsoft in various sales leadership roles and 11 years at Amazon Web Services, where he helped shape go-to-market strategies and partner ecosystems. Today, Kasun is senior vice president and global head of partner ecosystem at Pegasystems Inc., where he continues to build strategic alliances. His experience in regulated industries such as healthcare, finance, and public-sector services adds a layer of strategic insight to Smartbird’s board.
Smartbird’s CEO, Nadia Carlsten, emphasized the strategic fit of adding Mora and Kasun to the board. "Beth and Dan have spent a long time in this industry focusing on growth and hyperscale go-to-market," she said. "Having that experience on our board with exactly the customers and partners we want to serve will be a real advantage as we grow the business."
Smartbird provides AI infrastructure as a service, a model that helps enterprises access the performance, control, and scalability of GPU-based computing without the need for significant capital investment or operational overhead. The company is targeting a growing market of organizations that require secure, managed AI solutions, particularly in sectors like healthcare, pharma, financial services, and public-sector agencies.
Mora chairs the audit committee at MKS Instruments. She holds leadership roles in the compensation and nominating and governance committees at Limoneira Company. This showcases her comprehensive governance background. Kasun has a track record of building high-performing partner ecosystems. He also has go-to-market strategies, especially in complex, regulated industries. These skills align with Smartbird’s mission to offer secure, scalable AI infrastructure.
Under her leadership, the company is advancing its managed service model, allowing customers to concentrate on AI workloads without the burden of infrastructure management. The company handles the full lifecycle of GPU-based solutions, from procurement to deployment and ongoing maintenance, providing customers with a streamlined, secure experience.
The company’s growth strategy is clear. By leveraging the expertise of its new board members and existing leadership, Smartbird aims to expand its market reach. The goal is to deliver high-value AI infrastructure to a broad range of industries.