Alka has worked in a variety of leadership roles for Fortune 500 companies such as, Apple Computers, Hitachi, Cisco Systems, Hewlett Packard, PG&E and others. At Hitachi she served as the Global Software Quality and Center of Excellence Officer. Prior to joining Hitachi, she was with Cisco Systems for 25 years. As Cisco’s first and only Distinguished Quality Engineer (Senior Director).

Alka has also achieved the designation of a “Fellow” from the American Society of Quality (ASQ), A frequently invited speaker on quality assurance and technology topics at international as well as domestic events, she is an adjunct lecturer in the Graduate program at Santa Clara University in the computer engineering for the past 24 years. Her subject matter expertise is reflected in the eleven books she has authored in the fields of telemetry, cloud, business sustainability, customer experience, quality, software engineering and quality management standards. Two of her books were used as textbooks in three Universities in the San Francisco Bay Area for the duration of ten years. She is also an instructor for software engineering courses at U.C. Santa Cruz and U.C. Berkeley extensions, where she has developed curriculums for several software engineering and quality management certificate programs. Alka is the winner of Silicon Valley’s “Corporate Woman Advocate of The Year” award for her accomplishments in the software quality field and ASQ in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, recognized her by publishing her accomplishments in their “Who is who is Quality” article. 

As a USA delegate, she represents the United States and American National Standards Institute (ANSI), to enhance the consistency of ISO’s (International Standards Organization) Quality Management Standards and currently works with global representatives from 60+ countries. She was named as the US expert on Industry 4.0/Smart Manufacturing in the international strategic advisory group to ISO’s Technical Management Board and she has been the Chair for US Virtual Technical Assistance Group (VTAG), in charge of forming a US Consensus for common language in international standards between medical, aerospace, circular economy industries, occupational health, safety and energy management. 

In her role as the Chair for TAG 176 for 9 years representing the United States, Alka was actively involved in the development of ISO 9001 and 9004 Quality Management International Standards revisions of the years 2000, 2004 and 2008. She was a member of the drafting committee and contributed in the writing of the 9001-2015 version and also she has a great contribution in ISO CT 176 WG 04 for the ISO 18091 Quality Management System for Local Governments.

Currently she is the Chair for UCSC-Ext. Software Engineering and Quality program, selected member of TC176 Chairman’s Strategic Advisory Group (CSAG) for ISO QMS and a member of SC2 Strategic Planning and Operations Task Group (SPOTG). Alka has served as the Chair for the US Standards Group Council, a member of ASQ’s Learning Institute Advisory Board; the President of the Bay Area Quality Assurance Association; has been an Applied Total Quality Advisory Board member for UC-Berkeley-Extension; an Advisory Board member to the Certificate Program in Continuous Improvement & Quality Management – U.C. Santa Cruz Extension; Board member for Quality Assurance Institute; an Advisory Member for ASQ 2015 & 2016 International Conference on Quality Standards and Vice President of Indian Business and Professional Women. 

Alka Jarvis is Vocal of the World Council for Quality.