Jeanette Symons, 45, Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Graduated from UCLA with a degree in systems engineering, later worked as a software engineer for Hayes Microcomputer, where she developed and managed its ISDN program

Ascend Communications

www.ascend.com

Alameda, Calif.

Publicly traded, NASDAQ: ASND

Revenues: 18.3 billion (CY06)

Employees: 79,000 in 130 countries

Founded in 1989 by Jeanette Symons and Mory Ejabat

Designs and manufactures wireless communication products in wireless communications industry.

(Symons and Ejabet sold the company to Lucent Technologies in 1999 for $24 billion, and the company is now known as Alcatel-Lucent.)

Zhone Technologies Inc.

www.zhone.com

Oakland, Calif.

Publicly traded, NASDAQ: ZHNE

Revenues: $194.3 million

Employees: 514

Founded in 1999 by Jeanette Symons and Mory Ejabat

Designs, develops and markets communications network equipment for telephone companies and cable operators worldwide

Industrious Kids

www.industriouskid.com

Oakland, Calif.

Privately held

Founded in 2006 by Jeanette Symons, who is also the company’s chief executive officer

Industrious Kid is an innovative company that develops premium online destinations that are purpose-built for the rapidly expanding population of children now accessing and using the Internet. Includes the kid-friendly social networking site, imbee.com, which provides blogs and social posting for children ages 8 to 13 that can be monitored and controlled by parents.