Sumithra Bhakthavatsalam

Sumithra Bhakthavatsalam is currently an AI Research Manager at Figma, starting in June 2024. Previously, Sumithra served as a Principal Applied Science Manager at Microsoft from April 2021 to May 2024, focusing on machine learning in natural language processing (NLP) and design intelligence, and held roles as Responsible AI Lead Champ and committee member for the Office Product Group. Sumithra's earlier experience includes positions at the Allen Institute for AI as a Principal Applied Scientist and Senior Software Engineer, and guest lecturing at the University of Washington. Additional experience encompasses roles at Nuance Communications, Adapx, Microsoft, and UPS Logistics Technologies, with expertise spanning clinical language understanding, natural user interfaces, and software engineering. Sumithra holds an M.S. in Computational Linguistics from the University of Washington, an M.S. in Computer Science from Virginia Tech, and a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science from BMS College of Engineering, Bangalore.