When did you join Brightspot? What brought you here?
I joined Brightspot in March 2017. I was working at The Washington Post before this. The Post was going through a transition, and it was a bit of a chaotic situation there. I was looking to make a change to continue working on content and publishing technology. I also wanted to find a more stable company where my work and work-life balance were valued. Oh, and did I mention the commute to D.C.? I learned about Brightspot (Perfect Sense at the time), which had a similar role available. I got in touch with Avery (Senior Manager, Recruiting), and the rest is history. I feel blessed to be here and proud of my contributions so far.
What do you enjoy most about your role as a Director of Engineering? What do you find most challenging?
The two things I enjoy the most about my role are the freedom it offers and the company’s pace. I have the freedom to manage my work and juggle things as needed. I enjoy being hands-on and working closely on details. Honestly, this can get overwhelming at times for various reasons. Ever since I came here, I’ve been deeply involved with Johnson & Johnson and the work we do for them. At any given time, there are several deliverables in different stages, which keeps me busy. I wouldn’t have it any other way, however.
The best part of this job is the people I get to work with. I collaborate with many different groups, both internal and external. I admire working with each of them and always learn something new. Brightspot’s fast-paced environment feels like a startup, and I enjoy that. I like juggling multiple tasks and keeping tabs on various things simultaneously.
As for challenges, they usually involve solving problems that haven’t been tackled before. These are fun to work on, and we always overcome them as a team. Without challenges, work — and life — would get boring.
Can you tell me more about your role at Brightspot and the many hats you wear?
I really like fancy fedoras! Jokes aside, every day at Brightspot brings something new or interesting. As a solution architect, I work on diverse technical problems and collaborate with nearly every group of people imaginable. This role requires looking at things from their perspectives. The key is to listen and remain open to ideas.
As you mention, you've worked on lots of interesting projects over the years as the technical lead in our long relationship with Johnson & Johnson. Is there a particular project that stands out to you? If so, why?
Yes, J&J has been my bread and butter for several years, but the first project deserves a special mention: AdCouncil.org. I was heavily involved in migrating and onboarding them to Brightspot. This project was interesting and complex in its own way. I was new to Brightspot and found it challenging to map out some requirements to create a solid working solution. The puzzle became even more complex with a draft version of our new Media Desk solution and a Media-Beacon plus Salesforce integration. Despite the difficulties, we succeeded. For context, I think our Media Desk story began with this project.
Another standout was my first full-time J&J campaign project, nursing.jnj.com. It was a smaller campaign project but deserves special mention because I worked on many intricate pieces. It wasn’t just about publishing articles or content. Each part of the project was more complex than expected, and integrations like SFMC and MapBox made it even more unique. I was still a rookie then.
In your time at Brightspot, you have mentored many software engineers early in their careers. What do you enjoy most about this mentor role?
I enjoy the casual conversations that lead to growth and productivity for the company. These interactions are win-win from every angle. They also build personal connections and allow us to talk about anything, from backgrounds and families to future plans. Everyone approaches problems differently, and some impressions stay with you forever. I’ve learned a lot from the people I’ve worked with, and I miss some who’ve moved on to other endeavors. I must say most young developers we hire are incredibly smart.
Do you have any advice for college students or those starting their careers in software engineering?
This question gives me a flashback. Software engineering is very different now compared to 20 years ago. Back then, we had big box computers with no internet, no visual editors, and object-oriented programming concepts were harder to implement. Imagine coding on Notepad or vi/vim editors.
Software engineering is a very cool career path. You get a computer and can take your creativity to any level. Regardless of your career path, you must stay disciplined and focused.
Here’s my advice: (1) Stay curious and hungry like a treasure hunter; (2) think outside the box; and (3) remain open to suggestions and ask questions.
Besides the people, what is your favorite part about working at Brightspot?
I’ll approach this from three angles. From a company perspective, I like that Brightspot is a small company with a shared goal. It gives me the freedom to innovate and prosper within our ecosystem.
From the client and project perspective, Brightspot lets me work on diverse projects with different clients. There’s always something new or challenging. In my seven years here, we’ve delivered beautiful products for our clients.
Finally, from a work-life balance perspective, Brightspot offers best-in-class benefits. Anne, our Director of Details, makes it even more special with her attention to food, drinks and events like parties and IncentFit.
What are your favorite activities or hobbies outside the office?
I’m an outdoor person. I enjoy walking, biking, hiking and gardening. On weekends, you’ll find me working in my yard or hiking. I live in Virginia, close to Maryland and West Virginia, so there are many great hiking spots nearby. For example, Harpers Ferry is about 30 minutes away and has one of my favorite trails. I keep looking for new hiking trails. One of my goals is to complete the Triple Crown in Virginia hopefully after my kids are all in college. The other thing that excites me is photography and DIY projects.
What is your favorite season of the year?
Fall, for its beautiful weather, colors and vibes. I like spring too, but I hate the allergies.
If you could have any superpower, which would it be? Why?
I’d love a superpower to fix things for people affected by hurricanes, floods or other calamities. My heart goes out to those who lose their homes and everything they own. That’s what I would do.
