Current Position

Software Engineering Manager, Capital One

Major

Environmental Studies (Policy & Economics)

Graduating Year

2005

A message from Ariel

My mantra is "we have been given all the tools." Not us as individuals, but WE as a collective. Any time I hit a wall and can't find my way around it, I remind myself that we have been given all the tools -- there is someone out there who could offer guidance, or a new technique, technology, mentality, or opportunity. Understanding and navigating tech is truly about connection.

A valuable skill

Being an Environmental Studies major made me into a systems thinker. Instead of just thinking about getting from A to B, I think about why (and if) we need to get there, where else we might need to go, how we could reuse or upgrade or consolidate our current tools and methods, what unintended consequences might result from this change, and how we might be able to use this change to incrementally make our product or system better. I also find that being able to write and communicate well is a rare skill in tech, and it will definitely come in handy as you progress in your career.

Hobbies

I am obsessed with my vegetable garden and have a new obsession with growing mushrooms!