What is your current job?
Staff Engineer (and Engineering Manager) at Walker & Company Brands, contributing to and managing to the software development team within a company that solves health & beauty problems for people of color.
Why did you choose this profession?
I've always been interested in computers and problem-solving,so software development seemed a natural career choice. I love working at Walker & Company because we are solving problems for those who have previously been ignored or under-served.
What more do you wish to accomplish in your professional career?
I'm hoping to grow into a great people manager and multiplier. People in tech have heard the team "10x" developer, which I think is absurd unless you apply it to good management and really, leadership.
Tell us about a decision or change you made that turned out to be a positive career move.
I started out working at a couple wonderful consulting shops. I was able to meet a lot of different companies and people, solving different types of problems in a shorter period of time than if I had job-hopped. Anyone looking to level-up their skillset should consider consulting at a good firm (for example, Pivotal Labs or Thoughtbot).
How has Haverford influenced your professional career?
The mathematics department amplified my problem-solving and collaborating skills. The honor code allowed us to work together and collaborate in a way that prepared me for professional projects--we don't come up with solutions behind a closed door (at least not in our open office).