Chicago, Illinois, USA: Indira Gunda Saladi, a distinguished alumna of the Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech), has been appointed to its Board of Trustees. She is the president and founder of Orchard, Inc., a healthcare staffing company based in Glencoe, Illinois, and is actively involved in guiding and mentoring early-stage technology startups.
A 1993 graduate of Illinois Tech, Saladi has built a successful career spanning early-stage ventures and Fortune 500 firms. She has applied her expertise in global innovation and operational optimization to drive cost efficiency and improve processes in various organizations.
Saladi is a limited partner in an early-stage investment fund and is committed to empowering women in technology and business. She provides not only financial backing but also strategic guidance to ventures led by women, immigrants, and technologists in underserved communities.
At Illinois Tech, she serves as an advisory member for the Ed Kaplan Family Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship. Saladi and her mother also established the Satyanarayana (Sam) Gunda International Student Thanksgiving Celebration Fund in honor of her father, a fellow Illinois Tech alumnus. This fund annually brings international students together for a Thanksgiving celebration.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new role, Saladi stated, “Illinois Tech has been an integral part of my journey, and I look forward to giving back by helping create impactful opportunities for students to excel in technology and business. I’m excited to collaborate with Illinois Tech to build pathways for success for future generations.”
Illinois Tech president Raj Echambadi praised her appointment, saying, “We are deeply honored to welcome Indira to the Board of Trustees. As an alumna, she embodies the transformative power of an Illinois Tech education. Her visionary leadership and dedication to mentoring have inspired countless individuals to achieve their dreams in technology.”
Michael P. Galvin, Chair of the Illinois Tech Board of Trustees, highlighted her accomplishments: “Indira’s remarkable achievements in business and law demonstrate the profound impact Illinois Tech has on its graduates. Her commitment to mentorship and her success in fostering innovation will inspire our students and the broader community.”
Saladi holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Illinois Tech, a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and a Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago.
