What do you do and what is it about your job that gets you out of bed in the morning?
I'm a Senior Staff Product Manager in the Biometrics team at Onfido, and I also serve as product practice lead. The duality of the role affords a varied set of responsibilities and provides access to a broad range of problems to solve. Depending on what I'm focusing on, my 'product' may be one of our Biometrics solutions, a cross-functional project, or even the product org. I enjoy being able to split my focus between building products and building culture or skills.
I'm deeply motivated by solving hard problems with great people. I've always been naturally curious and collaborative, two essential characteristics for anyone working in product. With every new project, I ask a lot of questions to get a feel for other people's roles and how they relate to one another. I also like to understand the 'why' behind what we were doing and how things work in detail. Because of this habit, I am able to quickly build empathy with peers and users. Now, as product practice lead I'm able to stay energized by leveraging my product skill set in a new way. I facilitate our fortnightly team All Hands, run our mentoring program, and smooth collaboration between product and other parts of the business.
No two days are ever alike, and the challenges are boundless. This is what gets me out of bed in the morning and engaging deeply day after day.
How did you get to where you are today?
I never expected that I'd have a career in the tech industry. My educational background is in Gender Studies, and I’d always expected that I would do program management at an NGO. In my early roles, I quickly discovered that I was naturally inclined to bring together colleagues from different functions, divide up our work into milestones, and deliver collaboratively as a team. And because I was ‘good with computers’, I often found myself with tasks related to process digitization, website updates, and running digital marketing initiatives, in addition to team leadership and project management.
Without even realizing it, I found myself inching towards a career in tech. It wasn't until 2010 that I learned about product management, and I was thrilled to finally align my skills with an up-and-coming discipline. Thanks to stretch opportunities from incredible supporters, I've been able to build a rich career in product as an individual contributor and a manager.
What is the most important lesson you have learned along the way?
Stay true to yourself. Across my career, I’ve been surprised by how often my values, character, and integrity have been challenged. In the moment, it might feel like you’re only being asked to compromise a little, but it’s a slippery slope, and the memory of decisions that conflict with what’s core to your person can fester. At the end of the day, you only need to answer to yourself – make sure that you’re proud of how you treated others, what decisions you made, and who you spent the most time with. Surround yourself with people who see you, who value you for who you already are, and who push you to be your best version.
What's your pitch to CEOs in the identity space? What do you suggest they START / STOP / CONTINUE doing and why?
START: Investing in privacy from the concept phase of product development. Privacy by design, explicit consent, data minimization, and user controls for managing personal data are already becoming table stakes. Consumers worldwide are becoming more savvy and demanding when it comes to their personal data, especially biometric data.
STOP: Ignoring or deprioritizing diversity and inclusion. The best way to reduce bias and provide fair, global identity solutions is to invest proactively in hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. When building global identity solutions, your team must look like your potential users. Bias and fairness aren’t just topics that your ML engineers debate in a corner of your engineering team. Every single one of us needs to be actively thinking about diversity and how it relates to the products we build.
CONTINUE: Watching the market. The global regulatory landscape for identity solutions is a patchwork of rapidly evolving legislation, frameworks, and standards. As public opinion changes, regulation appears, and as regulations become more prominent, public opinion changes further. When coming up against engineering timelines and roadmaps, identity businesses can go from compliant to non-compliant in a matter of days or weeks.
In one sentence, why does diversity matter to you?
Diversity leads to better problem solving, and diverse tech teams are more likely to solve problems in a way that is inclusive, accessible and equitable for a diverse user base.
What book/film/piece of art would you recommend to your fellow members? Why?
Have you ever wanted to high five a book? That's how I felt while reading Feminist Fight Club: An Office Survival Manual for a Sexist Workplace by Jessica Bennett, recommended to me by one of my favorite feminists and product managers, Lisa Mo Wagner.
What advice would you give to the teenage 'you'?
Take the time fo fully explore your interests and passions. It can be easy to do what your family and friends push you to do, but early adulthood should be spent selfishly uncovering what you like, dislike, and love. These interests can provide direction and purpose in your life, and if you're lucky, lead to a fulfilling career and personal satisfaction.
Where can we find you on social media / the Web?