ISUW 2025 Speaker

Ms Sonya Bird is the Vice President International Standards for UL Standards & Engagement. In this role, she is responsible for developing and implementing the international standards strategy, including leading the ULSE international standards outreach and relationships, driving ULSE participation in outside standards development, and overseeing UL’s international harmonization activities. Until Jan 2023, Ms. Bird was the US representative of IEC Standardization Management Board (SMB) and the Vice-President (Technical) of the US National Committee (USNC) of IEC. Sonya convened the IEC Council Board TF on Sustainable Development Goals, and she represents the IEC on the IEC/ISO Joint Strategic Advisory Group on Gender Responsive Standards. Sonya also previously served as the Secretary of IEC TC 61 (household appliances), and she co-convened IEC SMB on Ethics for Artificial Intelligence. Sonya is a member of the ANSI Board of Directors. Sonya has been recognized for her contributions to international standardization by the IEC (IEC Thomas A. Edison award), ANSI (Howard Coonley Medal, Elihu Thomson Electrotechnology Medal, and ANSI Meritorious Service Award), and SES – The Society for Standards Professionals (SES Fellow, and SES/CSA Lorne K Wagner Memorial Award). She is also a Corporate Fellow in the William Henry Merrill Society in recognition of significant and sustained contributions to the fulfillment of UL’s public safety mission. Sonya holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and a Certificate in Business Management from Yale School of Management for UL Executive Leadership Program