While millions of people rely on apps like Zoom, Skype, and WhatsApp every day to connect with others, few know the name of the woman whose work made this all possible: Dr. Marian Croak. A pioneering African American inventor and visionary, Dr. Croak is widely credited with initiating and furthering the development of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), the core technology behind these modern communication platforms.
Her journey began at AT&T, where she spent decades as a senior vice president of research and development. In the early 2000s, at a time when the internet was primarily used for data and web pages, Dr. Croak championed the idea of using it for voice communication, essentially making it possible to digitize a voice and send it over the internet as packets of data.
This concept was met with significant skepticism, with many believing that the technology could never compete with the reliability of traditional phone networks. But Dr. Croak, with her team, pushed forward, earning over 200 patents for her work, many of which are fundamental to the functionality of VoIP. Her inventions paved the way for video conferencing and online messaging, revolutionizing how people communicate.
Her contributions have earned her widespread recognition, including induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2022. She is only the second African American woman to receive this honor. Now serving as the Vice President of Engineering at Google, Dr. Croak continues to be a powerful voice for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry, inspiring a new generation of innovators to follow in her footsteps.
Her groundbreaking work has fundamentally changed the world, proving that a single idea, pursued with determination and vision, can connect millions of people and shape the future.
