Software Team Lead at Graphcore, building profiling tools for optimisation of ML models on specialised hardware. I mentor people looking to change careers to tech, lead engineering team, build engagement, and hire for cognitive diversity. Background in UX and design systems gives me a unique lens on developer experience and team dynamics.
My path: Artist → Designer → UX Engineer → Software Engineer → Team Lead. The unconventional background isn't just backstory - it's why I build teams differently. Understanding how people interact with systems matters whether you're designing interfaces, building developer tools, or leading engineering teams.
I'm weird. So are you. Let's talk.
Technical debt slows you down. Cognitive debt keeps you solving the wrong problems. And it's much harder to refactor how a team thinks than it is to refactor code.
Read the postI am a Software Team Lead building profiling tools to help engineers optimise AI models for specialised hardware at Graphcore. Previously built design systems, developed fintech applications, and worked on in-browser design tools. Currently balancing technical development with team leadership and mentoring.
I transitioned from graphic design through UX to software engineering and now engineering leadership. The unconventional background shapes how I lead. Understanding visual systems taught me how people process information, skill critical for developer experience. Building design systems taught me about consistency and scale. UX research taught me to question assumptions before building solutions. Teaching showed me you don't understand something until you can explain it to someone else - a key leadership skill.
I focus on building teams with cognitive diversity - hiring for different mental models, not just skills match. I mentor women transitioning into tech through Dare IT and Women Go Tech. I care about people and believe that strong team relationships translate to quality software.
Leading teams building tools engineers actually use requires different thinking. I bring UX research mindset to understanding developer workflows and building effective tooling.
Creating paths for engineers from non-traditional backgrounds. Mentoring through Dare IT and Women Go Tech taught me how to build inclusive teams and support unconventional career journeys.
I hire for mental models and cognitive diversity, not just skills match. Teams with different thinking patterns solve problems traditional teams miss.
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Interested in conversations about engineering leadership, building and scaling teams, hiring for cognitive diversity, and developer tooling. Also available for conference speaking and workshops on non-traditional paths into tech.