Saba Amsalu Teserra, PhD
Saba Amsalu Teserra, PhD, is a Consulting Member of Technical Staff in Oracle’s Digital Assistant Cloud organization, where she has spent more than eight years advancing enterprise conversational AI. With more than twenty years of experience in artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and machine learning, she has played a key role in developing scalable virtual assistant solutions and content understanding technologies used across Oracle’s cloud ecosystem. Her contributions include multiple patents focused on advanced NLP methodologies, content interpretation, and intelligent automation, establishing her reputation as a technical innovator.
Before joining Oracle, Dr. Teserra built a multifaceted career as an Advanced Technology Architect at TIBCO Software Inc. and as a Data Scientist at Dice. She also co-founded an AI chatbot startup, where she helped design and engineer conversational systems from the ground up, giving her deep insight into both enterprise scale platforms and agile, innovation driven environments. Her academic foundation stems from Bielefeld University, where she earned her PhD in Computational Linguistics and Machine Learning, graduating summa cum laude and receiving the prestigious Best Thesis of the Year in Westphalia Award for her groundbreaking research in reverse engineering machine translation.
Beyond her technical achievements, Dr. Teserra is a committed advocate for strengthening United States based technology talent and reducing overreliance on outsourcing. She actively supports young professionals, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, through mentorship and career guidance. Deeply engaged in her church community, she contributes to educational, outreach, and research initiatives that reflect her dedication to public service and to empowering the next generation of innovators. Based in Sunnyvale, California, she continues to influence the evolution of artificial intelligence while championing ethical and inclusive growth in the technology industry.
• Bielefeld University - PhD
• Best Thesis of the Year in Westphalia Award
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of determination and resilience, particularly during major career transitions and the periods when I stepped away from the workforce to raise my children. My commitment to continuous learning has kept me grounded and adaptable in an industry that evolves rapidly, while my strong mathematical foundation fuels my passion for solving complex and meaningful problems with data. I have also learned to confidently advocate for myself in interviews and technical environments, ensuring that my abilities and expertise are recognized despite the challenges posed by gender or age bias.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to stay prepared, stay current, and remain confident in my expertise, especially in moments when others may underestimate me. This mindset has guided me throughout my career, helping me navigate the realities of both gender and age bias in tech while ensuring that I continue to grow, lead, and deliver at the highest level.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to believe in your voice and your expertise, even when it is not immediately recognized. Stay deeply current with emerging technologies, because strong knowledge is one of your greatest advantages. Do not fear nonlinear career paths, as family responsibilities or career gaps do not define your long-term potential. Focus on building solid foundations in mathematics, data, and problem solving, and surround yourself with mentors and a supportive community. Above all, seek out every opportunity for hands-on experience, because real-world practice will accelerate your growth and confidence.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The field of artificial intelligence is at a pivotal moment, shaped by both significant challenges and promising opportunities. One of the most pressing challenges is the continued presence of gender and age discrimination in hiring and career advancement, along with misconceptions that only younger workers or those from particular backgrounds can thrive in AI. There is also a persistent tendency to rely on outsourcing, which limits the development of strong domestic talent pipelines and weakens long-term industry resilience.
At the same time, the opportunities are substantial. Experienced professionals, including those over 40, are increasingly well positioned to lead innovation and launch successful startups, bringing depth, perspective, and technical maturity to the field. Momentum toward greater diversity and representation continues to grow, broadening access for individuals from underrepresented groups. The rapid evolution of content understanding models such as summarization, question answering, and conversational intelligence is creating new frontiers for advancement. There is a renewed commitment to strengthening United States based technical talent, a movement I actively support through mentorship, education, and community engagement.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide me in both my work and personal life begin with integrity, which I believe is essential in research, leadership, and any meaningful contribution to the field of technology. I am deeply committed to lifelong learning and intellectual curiosity, staying engaged with new ideas and continually expanding my capabilities. Community uplift is also central to who I am, particularly supporting young people and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds as they navigate their paths into the technology sector. I place a strong emphasis on family, balance, and maintaining priorities beyond work, recognizing that personal grounding strengthens professional impact. Above all, I believe in prioritizing academic growth and personal achievement over materialism, focusing on the pursuits that create lasting value and purpose.