Summary
Disclaimer: This summary has been generated by AI. It is experimental, and feedback is welcomed. Please reach out to info@qconsf.com with any comments or concerns.
The panel titled Panel: The Path to Senior Engineering Leadership included speakers Pauline Jepp, Brad Grantham, Kasia Trapszo, and Joe Cassavaugh. They shared insights on advancing into senior engineering leadership roles. Here's a structured summary of the panel discussion:
- Introduction of Panelists:
- Pauline Jepp discussed her journey from academia to engineering leadership without following a conventional path.
- Brad Grantham highlighted his experience in GPU tooling and open standard work across various company sizes.
- Kasia Trapszo emphasized technical leadership from her extensive work at Netflix and startups.
- Joe Cassavaugh shared his experience as a solo indie game developer who created a successful game genre.
- Key Discussion Points:
- Transitioning from technical expertise to strategic influence.
- Key competencies needed for senior roles: organizational scaling, cross-functional collaboration, and mentorship.
- Challenges and strategies to navigate career growth effectively.
- Audience Interaction:
- The panel encouraged questions from attendees to tailor the discussion to audience interests.
- Questions about distinguishing a senior IC from an engineering leader were discussed, highlighting the importance of architectural insight and leadership through influence.
- Personal Insights:
- Pauline stressed the importance of curiosity and continuous improvement.
- Brad talked about moving away from hands-on work towards influencing and aligning engineering teams.
- Advice for Aspiring Leaders:
- Develop a habit of asking why things are done a certain way to foster deeper understanding.
- Balance technical decisions with strategic business goals for overall success.
The session provided a comprehensive outlook on how engineering professionals can transition into leadership roles by building on technical skills and embracing strategic responsibilities.
This is the end of the AI-generated content.
Abstract
This panel discussion provides aspiring and current engineering leaders with a clear roadmap for advancing into Senior Engineering Leadership roles. We will explore the critical transition from technical excellence to strategic influence, discussing key competencies such as organizational scaling, cross-functional collaboration, and effective mentorship. Attendees will gain practical insights into navigating career growth and driving high-impact technology initiatives.
Speaker
Pauline Jepp
Head of Engineering @TicketSwap
My love of video games led me to a PhD in Computer Graphics & AI. My love of learning has me constantly pushing my comfort zone. My love of problem-solving took me through a career in computer science & software engineering. My love of working with talented people brought me into engineering leadership. Solving interesting problems with awesome people is incredibly rewarding.
My story is an alternative for engineers forging their own path—without needing to follow the paved road.
Speaker
Brad Grantham
Software Architect and Team Lead @LunarG - Responsible for Cross-Platform, GPU-Independent Graphics API Capture and Replay Technologies
Brad Grantham is an engineering leader with over two decades of experience in cross-platform GPU tooling. He’s grown from writing graphics code at Silicon Graphics, AMD, and ARM to leading a 14-engineer team at LunarG and helping guide company strategy. Along the way, he’s learned the value of service and sharing knowledge beyond just building software.
Find Brad Grantham at:
Speaker
Kasia Trapszo
Principal Engineer @Netflix, Leading Architecture for the Commerce Platform
Kasia Trapszo is an IC leader at Netflix, where she leads architecture for the company’s commerce platform. Her diverse background spans engineering roles at startups, hands-on work in the banking sector, and building out teams from scratch. Having worked on both the East and West Coasts, Kasia brings a broad view of the tech industry’s challenges and opportunities. She is passionate about technical leadership, empowering engineers to grow their influence, and fostering collaboration across teams. Outside of work, Kasia enjoys hiking, trail running, and exploring the outdoors.
Speaker
Joe Cassavaugh
Creator of Clutter, Game Developer/Solopreneur - Previously @iWin, @WorldPlay
Programmer since 1981. Software Engineer since 1989. Principal Software Engineer since 1997. Game Designer/Developer since 2004. Solo-Indie since the end of 2009. Joe created his own Original-IP, Clutter, which has >$6M in sales, >$2M net. Clutter is now considered its own Genre/Sub-Genre of Hidden Object Games. And he did it all with no A/B testing!!! Joe's favorite word is one that is not often heard of in the Games Business: Sustainable.
Find Joe Cassavaugh at:
Date
Tuesday Nov 18 / 11:45AM PST ( 50 minutes )
Location
Pacific DEKJ
Slides
Slides are not available
