From Career Changer to Agentforce Leader
Ishrat Bhatti didn't take a straight path into tech and that's exactly what makes her story so powerful. After years in hospital administration driving quality improvement and patient care initiatives, Ishrat joined the Texas Department of State Health Services during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she was introduced to Salesforce while working on large-scale public health initiatives. She immersed herself in Trailhead, found a community that encouraged her to keep learning, and never looked back. Today, she serves as a Practitioner in the Salesforce Center of Excellence as well as the Agentforce AI Lead at Southwest Airlines where she leads Agentforce adoption, governance, and enablement at enterprise scale.
At Southwest, Agentforce has resolved nearly half of eligible customer inquiries without human intervention, delivering a 45% case resolution rate across more than 2 million customer interactions.
Building the Agentic Enterprise - One Trailblazer at a Time
But for Ishrat, successful AI adoption isn't just about technology. It's about creating the confidence, skills, and support people need to embrace it. She believes technology scales only when people learn together, and that community is what makes adoption stick. Her commitment to helping others learn has also earned recognition across the ecosystem as a Salesforce MVP, Dreamforce speaker, and contributor to Salesforce Ben and the Salesforce Admin Blog, where she writes about AI adoption, governance, UX, and the agentic enterprise.
I used to wonder if my experience really counted. Now I help others see that theirs does. No one should have to learn alone and no one should face a new frontier alone.
Ishrat BhattiLead Technology Analyst, Salesforce CoE, Southwest Airlines
Community Is How Adoption Sticks
Beyond Southwest, Ishrat leads the Frisco Admin Community Group, founded Salesforce Saturdays North Dallas Chapter, and serves as an Amplify board member. But the work she's most proud of is mentorship - supporting career changers, students, and experienced admins as they navigate the AI era with confidence.
The Trailblazer Community didn't just teach me Salesforce, it gave me the confidence to stop shrinking my own story. That experience shaped how I lead today and why helping others grow is the most meaningful part of my work.
Ishrat BhattiLead Technology Analyst, Salesforce CoE, Southwest Airlines
Ishrat's advice to fellow Trailblazers!
Show up before you feel ready. Keep learning one step at a time. And once you find your footing, hold the door open for the next person.