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Tarana Damania
Privacy Program, Risk & Assurance Leader
Professional Background
Tarana Damania is a seasoned expert in the field of privacy program development and operationalization. With a profound understanding of privacy regulations and frameworks, she has successfully characterized risk assessments, prioritized audits, and offered specialized recommendations focusing on critical issues such as cookies, vendor data sharing, and data subject access requests (DSARs). Her experience spans across several industries, with specialized knowledge in digital advertising, social media, and explainable AI, having worked with thought leaders such as Twitch (part of Amazon) and Google.
Under her leadership as the Founder and CEO of "Passionate About Privacy," Tarana has established a reputable consultancy that focuses on enhancing privacy programs for various organizations, demonstrating her commitment to helping businesses navigate the complicated landscape of data privacy. In her previous role as a Senior Manager at Google, Tarana focused on Ads User Data Privacy and conducted audits for several prominent services, including Ads, Search, and YouTube. Her strong background in advising organizations on privacy best practices—further honed during her tenure at Ernst & Young as a Senior Manager in Advisory Services—establishes her as a leader in the industry.
In terms of team leadership, Tarana has effectively guided both cross-functional teams and remote staff, ensuring alignment in privacy strategy across different business units. Her impactful leadership style has enabled organizations to meet their privacy obligations within an ever-evolving regulatory landscape.
Education and Achievements
Tarana Damania's educational journey is a testament to her commitment to excellence and her passion for technology and business. She earned her Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering from the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, where she laid a solid foundation in technology principles. Following this, she pursued her Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University Graduate School, graduating with an impressive GPA of 3.4/4.0. Her academic success continued as she completed her MBA in Finance and Marketing at the Washington State University Carson College of Business, where she achieved a remarkable GPA of 3.9/4.0.
Her diverse educational background enables her to effectively bridge the gap between technical engineering principles and strategic business practices, a unique combination that empowers her to address challenges in privacy and data protection effectively.
Achievements
Throughout her career, Tarana Damania has amassed a number of noteworthy achievements in the realm of data privacy and operational compliance. Some of her most significant contributions include:
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Establishment of Passionate About Privacy: Tarana founded her boutique consultancy, showcasing her dedication to enhancing business compliance with privacy regulations and her passion for educating organizations about privacy considerations. Under her leadership, the consultancy has successfully served prestigious clients, including Twitch.
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Leadership at Google: During her tenure as Senior Manager at Google, Tarana played a pivotal role in shaping the company's Ads User Data Privacy strategies and managing internal audits for popular services, contributing to the solid privacy framework that Google is known for today.
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Cross-Functional Team Leadership: Tarana has successfully led and collaborated with direct and dotted-line remote teams while ensuring that privacy strategies are aligned across multiple functions within organizations. Her expertise in balancing diverse teams with varying objectives has been critical in implementing robust privacy programs.
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Professional Recognition and Authoritative Expertise: Through her work across various organizations, she has gained recognition as a thought leader in privacy strategies, earning her to be invited to speak and contribute to important discussions concerning data privacy in today’s digital world.
Tarana Damania continues to be a forward-thinking leader in the privacy field, leveraging her educational background and professional experience to navigate and shape the future of data privacy with a strategic and impactful approach.
