Tim Wojcicki (aka Susan) Troper: A Visionary Silicon Valley Visionary and “An Inspirational Woman in Silicon Valley”

Apple CEO Tim Cook also mourned Wojcicki’s passing. She was a visionary in Silicon Valley and will be missed by many. May she rest in peace,” he wrote on X.

“Susan was not just my best friend and partner in life, but a brilliant mind, a loving mother, and a dear friend to many,” her husband, Dennis Troper, wrote in a Facebook post. “Her impact on our family and the world was immeasurable.”

The daughter of a physicist, she was Born in Santa Clara, Calif., to a family who lived on the Stanford University campus. She made a difference in the world thanks to her passion for innovation. (Her two younger sisters, Anne and Janet, also went on to become powerhouses in their own respective fields.)

Aside from growing two tech behemoths, Wojcicki also devoted herself to improving the workplace for women and parents. At Google, she was the first to take parental leave and continued to advocate for such policies in the workforce.

It had a mission that benefited so many people’s lives around the world, finding information, telling stories, and supporting creators, artists, and small businesses. I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved. In her post she said it has been rewarding, meaningful and all-consuming.

She was kind to me as a prospective ‘Noogler’ 20 years ago. During my Google interview she took me out for an ice cream and a walk around campus. I was sold – on Google and Susan,” he said in a statement.

There was a compelling graduation speech at John Hopkins University from Wojcicki. There, she reflected on her career and the nature of opportunities.

What a great leader and person she was: Susan Joanicki, CEO of YouTube, whose pioneering impact on the cause of maternal health and STEM education

She said that most of the opportunities are presented in a nice little box with a yellow bow on top. “Opportunities, the good ones, are hard to identify and messy.” They are risky. They challenge you.”

Neal Mohan wrote on X on Saturday that he had lost a teammate, a mentor and a friend. I am forever grateful for her friendship and guidance. I will miss her a lot. My heart goes out to her family and loved ones.”

“Wojcicki is an example of great leadership because she was a pioneer,” said Benioff, the co-founder of Salesforce. She was a great leader and lighting up every interaction with her wisdom and warmth. Her kind heart, wise counsel, and philanthropic spirit touched countless lives,” he said on X.

She was the biggest donor to the project supporting maternal health. She never sought credit or attention for her donations, because she supported our project alone. An exceptional leader and person.”

Susan began her journey as a renter in the garage and ended it as CEO of YouTube, one of the most significant platforms in the world. She did not stop there. As one of the earliest Googlers — and the first to take maternity leave — Susan used her position to build a better workplace for everyone. The standard for businesses all around the world was set by her advocacy around parental leave. Susan was also very fond of education. She realized early on that YouTube could be a learning platform for the world and championed “edutubers” — especially those who extended the reach of STEM education to underserved communities.