What AI can’t replace
Leading at the intersection of AI governance, board leadership and sustainability, Sonita Lontoh ’06 MBA has a front-row seat to some of the most consequential shifts reshaping business today. The convergence of AI, energy and distributed infrastructure is creating a new frontier for business leaders. “The energy transition requires trillions in capital and millions of operational decisions a day,” Lontoh says. “AI is the only way to coordinate that information at that scale.”
Lontoh’s extensive experience in AI governance has made her a champion of technology for humanity. Among her many positions, she is currently a board director of Sunrun, the largest U.S. consumer solar and battery company and Nasdaq-listed, which was recently named No.5 on TIME’s 2026 list of the world’s Most Impactful Companies.
For Lontoh, that recognition matters less as a milestone and more as a signal. “TIME wasn’t simply rewarding a clean energy company; it was recognizing what happens when AI, data centers and clean energy converge in a business model that scales impact alongside commercial performance,” she says. Sunrun’s innovative subscription business model delivers energy affordability, reliability, resiliency and independence for American families.
During a recent visit to campus for Reunion weekend, Lontoh’s participation in a panel discussion provided an opportunity for reflection. “Coming back for my 20th reunion was more emotional than I expected,” she says. “Speaking on AI governance and human impact, alongside Professor Mohan Sawhney, what struck me was how much of what I learned at Kellogg continues to compound into how I lead today.”
“What keeps pulling me back is simple: the network keeps growing with me. Every time I return, be it for a reunion, a guest lecture or the Abrams Summit — I leave with more than I brought. That’s rare in a professional community and worth paying back.”
Think less about titles
While “AI governance” wasn’t even a concept and the role of “Chief AI Officer” didn’t yet exist when she was a student at Kellogg, Lontoh encourages professionals to think less about titles and more about how they can lead thoughtfully and responsibly in shaping emerging technologies. “Students sometimes ask me whether to pursue impact or ambition,” she says. “That framing is outdated. The most ambitious careers of the next 20 years will be built in places where those are the same thing.”
An engineer by training, Lontoh arrived at Kellogg knowing how to solve problems — her MBA experience taught her how to lead. She also learned how to combine ambiguity, commercial rigor and human judgment in decision-making. Lontoh believes that the durability of good human judgment is becoming more and more important as AI continues to evolve.
For Lontoh, success and happiness are the intersection of passion, skills and purpose: what you love, what you’re good at and the impact you want to make. It’s the philosophy that has guided her own career path, and one that she encourages others to embrace as they continue to shape their own.
Sonita Lontoh’s guiding principles for corporate board service
1. Become known for a distinct point of view that's additive in the boardroom
“Directors get appointed for what they uniquely add to the boardroom. Develop a sharp perspective on something boards genuinely need — AI and technology risk, talent and culture, capital allocation, cyber, etc. The question isn't ‘am I qualified?’ but ‘what would I add to a substantive boardroom conversation that isn't already in the room?’ That additive perspective is the seat.”
2. Build the governance muscles, not just the executive muscles
“Operating excellence is the price of entry, not the job. A director’s work is translating operating experience into the insight and foresight that helps management navigate material risks and identify opportunities for value creation. Learn how audit, compensation and governance committees actually work. Practice asking questions that move the conversations forward, helping management see around the corner and sharpen their own thinking.”
3. Build genuine, authentic relationships — not transactional networking
“Board paths usually run through an invisible network of people who have watched you over time and can vouch for the quality of your work and your thinking. That credibility is built through substance over years and can't be manufactured in a six-month sprint. Invest in your ecosystem with no expectation of return — write, speak, mentor, sponsor and show up generously for others. Over time, that ecosystem becomes the network that may recommend you when a board seat becomes open.”
In addition to Sunrun, Lontoh is also a board director at TrueBlue, an NYSE-listed global workforce solutions company; a partner at Alpha, an AI governance firm; and an advisor to the Responsible AI Institute, Kearney and the Abrams Climate Academy at Kellogg. Previously, she held C-suite roles at HP, Siemens, PG&E and at venture-backed Silicon Valley firms. A champion of technology for humanity, she has been recognized by the White House, the U.S. State Department, the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times.