Leave No Doubt – A Leader for the Times Working To Enhance Human Connections

Exclusive interview with Jorge Rodriguez, Sorenson Chief Executive Officer 

by: Luisana Rodríguez

Jorge Rodriguez is a leader for the times – more specifically, the ideal leader for Sorenson, a company that 20 years ago innovated technology and services that revolutionized communication for people who are Deaf and hard-of-hearing. Today, under his executive leadership, Rodriguez is recasting Sorenson’s communication services for diverse people.

"Sorenson enables human connections through the power of language," says Rodriguez, who took the helm as Sorenson CEO last January. A veteran with more than 30 years in the IT and telecommunications industries, Rodriguez describes Sorenson’s accessible and inclusive services as also “enhancing experiences and bridging cultures to transform people's lives." 

Sorenson’s innovative offerings directly address current and past communication inequities prevalent in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities – communities that were traditionally marginalized and underrepresented in a variety of sectors, including technology, entertainment, and media, to name a few. 

Which is why Sorenson’s work is critical, Rodriguez says. "From a hearing perspective, communication is not the same in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community. As a hearing person, I can text, call, and make video calls with my smartphone, all using the same telephone number. This privilege doesn't exist in these communities because today's communication technology for Deaf people is not functionally equivalent to that of hearing people." 

 Sorenson is working to achieve functional equivalency – truly inclusive communication – so that Deaf and hard-of-hearing people have the same or equivalent options to communicate – seamlessly, in real time, without interruptions, in their natural language, and on current, popular communication platforms. This democratization of communication technology and the people for whom it is designed is intended to enable the equalization of opportunities in school, work, social programs, and services. Access to functionally equivalent communication technologies is mandated by the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In 2003, Sorenson was founded “on solid and beautiful principles – of innovation, service, and advocacy,” Rodriguez says, adding the company was the first to introduce a videophone that was designed for Deaf people. 

Since then, Sorenson has introduced four generations of videophones and dozens of features and applications. 

Today, Sorenson is privately held, with a new majority owner, Ariel Alternatives. With an emphasis on accessibility, inclusion and economic opportunities as underlying tenets of the company’s mission, Sorenson plans to expand its technology and services globally – the company already has operations in England, Scotland, Canada, and France. In so doing, Sorenson intends to transform culture to be more inclusive of diverse communities in every way, including communication and employment. “We can't forget Deaf and hard-of-hearing people. How do we provide a service for them? Our thesis is to drive sustainable impact and equitable distribution to become more inclusive. This impact is driven by creating jobs, focusing on personal and professional development, enhancing career opportunities, and thereby shrinking the wealth gap,” Rodriguez says.

Prior to Sorenson, Rodriguez served as President and CEO of multiple América Móvil companies, including Claro Enterprise Solutions and Telvista, Inc. Rodriguez brings experience in both domestic and international markets. Prior to joining América Móvil, he held various executive positions at AT&T and AT&T Latin America. Among other achievements there, he launched startup operations across Latin America, established fully integrated regional operations in support of global clients, and was a board member of several AT&T LA operating companies.

Drawing upon his experience, Rodriguez brings a unique and trusted perspective. "To be successful in this modern era, you have to understand that things are dynamic, and the business landscape is constantly changing. Adaptability, therefore, is the key to long-term sustainability – both individually and from an organizational capability." 

Today, the business is looking to evolve accessible capabilities into the private sector as accommodations for employees and thereby enable a fulsome ecosystem to support Sorenson constituents. "Our big focus is to provide inclusivity for this community. Many companies are starting to realize Deaf and hard-of-hearing people are fantastic employees, extremely hardworking and smart. We need to tap the wealth of knowledge and perspectives the Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities offer. The only difference for these employees is ensuring there are accommodations in place," Rodriguez says. 

As part of its expansion, recently, Sorenson launched operations  across Puerto Rico, and expanded its service offerings across Scotland and England – all while creating hundreds of job offers for those communities, including diverse interpreters fluent in various sign languages who perform Sorenson services. "That's linked into our diversity strategy, our impact thesis, and our overall approach to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) . Internally, we are implementing what we preach externally," Rodriguez says. 

Internally, to accomplish these business objectives, Rodriguez has recruited diverse, ambitious leaders at the board-level, the C-suite, and across the executive ranks. "I am working to diversify our senior executive team and enhance our global perspective. Having diverse perspectives and a whole brain organizational approach enriches our overall business and strategic intent." 

Another Sorenson business strategy is collaborating with academic institutions and major tech companies to change the mindset, enable accessibility, and create a culture of inclusion and belonging for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and underrepresented people. Sorenson has founded scholarships in higher education for underrepresented students. In June, Sorenson announced a $3 million endowment gift to Gallaudet University that will support the growth of Gallaudet’s Center for Black Deaf Studies. And recently, Rodriguez established the Rodriguez-Sorenson Communications Endowed Scholarship for minority students at Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute of the Deaf. 

Today and going forward, Sorenson plans to develop technology with even more capabilities. "We would like to get into the metaverse and augmented reality to make it as simple as possible for everyone to access services in the future,” Rodriguez adds. 

With implementation of these technologies, Rodriguez thinks the outcomes will be a much more inclusive society – one that embraces diversity and increases opportunities for people and communities marginalized in the past. “I want that to be my legacy,” he says. "I don't know what it's like to be Deaf, but I do know what it's like to feel marginalized by people who think you're not good enough. My work is to help everyone understand that given the opportunity, we can succeed and exceed all expectations. In our pursuit, we will leave no doubt.”