Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

This article published on: Friday, April 6, 2012, 3:00am PDT.

Anna Sidana, Founder and CEO, One Million Lights.

One Million Lights provides a platform for social engagement, enabling global ambassadors to deliver solar lights to people around the world who are dependent on toxic kerosene for their energy needs. One Million Lights also engages our youth by integrating education around solar and renewables into K-12 curriculum.

Residence: Palo Alto.

Education: Bachelor’s equivalent in computer science, British Computer Society.

Boards/volunteer: Adviser to The School Fund; mentor for several social entrepreneurship programs.

First job: Sales associate at Marks & Spencer.

Proudest achievement: Getting 100 percent satisfaction on the employees survey from my team.

Biggest whoops: So many it’s hard to just mention one!

Something that would surprise others: Even though I present a very conservative image, at heart I am a maverick and free spirited.

After hours, where would we find you? With family or friends, catching a nice dinner or a movie or perhaps painting the town red.

Five-year goal: I would love to grow One Million Lights into a sustainable organization.

If you weren’t in your career, what would you be doing? Art, writing, cooking plus One Million Lights full time, of course.

Tech gadget you can’t live without: Hate to admit it, but my iPhone.

Business hero: Steve Jobs — he was always true to himself.