Saranda Belica

Saranda Belica is a multilingual collaborator, connector, and communicator whose work bridges transformative innovation and public trust.

With two decades of experience spanning economic development, government, and academia, she brings an international background and a deeply relational approach to leading ecosystems where business and community move forward together.

Saranda currently leads go-to-market efforts at IonQ, a full-stack, vertically integrated quantum platform company. Her work is centered on growing the company's partnerships across state and local government, academic institutions, and the public sector in the Northeast.

Previously, Saranda was the ecosystem development lead for QuantumCT — a tech-driven nonprofit launched by the University of Connecticut, Yale University, and Connecticut state leadership. As part of the UConn team behind it, she crafted the organization's external market positioning, developed the $10M proposal for the state Innovation Clusters Program, and secured a $1.031M Congressionally Directed Spending award from the U.S. Department of Commerce — each integrating workforce development, entrepreneurship, and community programming.

Saranda’s path to this work spans political campaigns, international trade missions, and grassroots community organizing. Her expertise weaves together media, culture, technology, advocacy, and strategic communications — and she has advised CEOs, elected officials, community builders, and business leaders across all of it.

Saranda is based in Connecticut and maintains deep ties to the Balkan region, where she returns often.