Today we’d like to introduce you to Katy Motiey
Katy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My name is Katy Motiey. I was born in Iran, moved to the US when I was a month old and then moved back to Iran when I was three years old. After my father passed away, my mother, brother and I stayed in Iran where I attended an international school. When I was 10 years old during the 1979 Iranian Revolution, we moved back to the US. I grew up in the Boston Area (Newton, MA) and graduated from both Georgetown Undergraduate and Law School. After clerking for a Federal Judge in Los Angeles, and working at a law firm, I went in-house. I have now worked for 7 CEOs at 3 public companies and several private companies. At my current company, I am the Chief Legal, Administrative and Sustainability Officer, which means I run the Legal, Real Estate and Facilities and Corporate Responsibility Counsel, reporting to our CEO. I am also the Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors. I live with my partner Robert and our dog Molly in Encinitas, California. During my free time I love to workout, play tennis, hike, ski, practice yoga, cook and entertain family and friends. In May of 2024 I published a novel, “Imperfect”, based on some things that happened to my mother in pre-revolution in Iran, in the 1970’s. There is more information on my book available on my website at www.katymotiey.com.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We immigrated to the US so I wouldn’t say it’s been completely smooth. I learned very early on that there was no safety net, and that if I wanted to have the kind of lifestyle we had in Iran, I would have to work hard. Many years ago I was told to keep my head down, get good at what I do, and to work hard. And that’s exactly what I’ve done.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am the Chief Legal, Administrative and Sustainability Officer at Extreme Networks, Inc. reporting to our CEO. I am also the Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors. I run the Legal, Real Estate/Facilities as well as the Corporate Responsibility Council. As the Chief Legal Officer, my team and I are responsible for all of our legal matters, including corporate securities, commercial, real estate and procurement contracts, employment, privacy and security, intellectual property (patents and trademarks), litigation, privacy, immigration and mergers and acquisitions. I have a passion for sharing my experiences and I mentor several people inside and outside the company. Since 2016, I have set up a summer internship program for our Legal Department, we hire interns, mostly from the Georgetown Law Center. I have also put in place a scholarship fund at the Georgetown Law Center. I’m very proud of that because the funds help students who may not have other sources of funding to go to law school.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
People who know me or my work may not know how much I pay attention to my mental health. I journal regularly, I meditate daily, I listen to the “Zen Garden” station on my pandora app, and I am always paying attention to staying focused and balanced. I share this with my employees often as a reminder to them to pay attention to what matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.katymotiey.com
- Instagram: katymotiey
- Facebook: Katy Motiey
- LinkedIn: Katayoun “Katy” Motiey
- Other: www.extremenetworks,com (my bio is on the leadership page)
Image Credits
Ali Huber
