Michael Ballard

Michael Ballard is a seasoned marketing professional with extensive experience in demand generation and digital marketing across various technology companies. Currently serving as the Senior Director of Marketing at Applied Optoelectronics, Inc., Michael previously held significant roles at Cisco as Senior Manager of Global Omni Channel Marketing, where leadership of an international team focused on demand generation strategies for the Mass-Infrastructure market. Michael’s career also includes leadership positions at Lenovo, Fiesta Penguin Marketing, WindTalker, Inc., and NEC, where responsibilities encompassed managing teams, developing marketing strategies, and driving customer engagement initiatives. Michael holds an MBA in Marketing from the University of North Texas and a BS in Marketing from The University of Akron.