I think my favorites are either an iced hazelnut latte or anything with cinnamon!
Kinda scary, but Neuralink and intelligent brain chips, bringing up interesting technical and ethical conversations!
What does being a member of Rewriting the Code mean to you?
Being a member of Rewriting The Code means joining a dedicated community of people who want to uplift one another throughout their journeys in tech. Sharing your experiences, hearing others’ experiences, and building on each other’s perspectives is what makes us human, and it’s been wonderful to be a part of a movement that sustains that sense of self while providing support to minorities in STEM! I’ve connected with some amazing individuals that continually inspire me and building a support system when being a woman in tech is essential!
You've worked at the intersection of ML research, cloud engineering, and student leadership at Stevens. What's the thread that connects all of it for you?
What it boils down to for me is keeping true to my passions and continuing to learn and grow! The perspective I’ve gained by dipping my toes into both ML and cloud has diversified my skill sets and given me the opportunity to apply my prior knowledge to places that I had not previously thought of, which is so important in the evolving field of computer science. Being able
to adapt quickly and explain your ideas efficiently is something that I value, and being interdisciplinary by working through both a technical and ethical view is how I’ve practiced those skills. With student leadership, I’m able to share my experiences with those around me and expand on my technical work through communicating with others; I’ve mentored students through their own journeys, given advice about my learned experiences, and been a resource for my campus community and beyond. My experiences continue to change the way that I lead and help others with empathy and authenticity, which is the thread that ties it all together.
You've worked across NASA satellite imagery analysis and enterprise cloud environments at Prudential. What does it mean to you when the systems you build touch something bigger than the task itself?
I honestly think it’s surreal that I’ve reached the point where my work can support and build projects that reach a level that is beyond my own scope. What I’ve noticed about these projects is the true importance of teamwork and being open to new ideas. You may enter spaces where you’re not the expert and the projects you’re working on might be beyond your understanding;
when I did research within the physics department at my university working with NASA, I knew barely anything about physics (in fact, I failed and needed to retake it), and similarly, I knew barely anything technical about insurance before interning at Prudential Financial. It’s critical in these scenarios to learn from those around you and keep a clear form of communication.
Practice explaining your technical programming background to someone who has never worked with those technologies, and at the same time, ask well-thought out questions to others to better understand how you can contribute – be open-minded and put yourself into their shoes!
You went deep on AWS through two competitive programs while also leading a major student org. How do you decide what deserves your energy when everything feels important?
This is honestly something that I struggled with for the longest time, especially at the start of college. There are so many amazing opportunities around you, and it can be hard to navigate what you want to get most involved with when you’re so passionate about learning. My first-year of college, I joined many student organizations and applied for every opportunity that came my way – I wanted to understand what I was best aligned with and what interested me the most.
Based on what kinds of contributions I was giving and how I saw my future in those organizations, I remained involved with ones that met my interests the best. As a college student, your time is so valuable, so you want to make sure the way you’re spending it is benefitting you and giving you the resources and connections for your future goals. Be ambitious and keep your end goals in mind (even if they seem out-of-reach) and let those goals guide you in where to spend your time. The most important part is to value your mental and physical health above all, and make sure you’re enjoying the free-time that you have!
You've earned scholarships to Grace Hopper, Harvard WECode, and The AI Summit NYC. If you could design your dream panel for any of those stages, who is on it, and what are you talking about?
This is such a difficult question because I’ve absolutely loved the sessions I’ve attended at these amazing conferences. Two panels come to mind from my past – one at Harvard WECode 2023 presented by leaders and CEOs of women in tech organizations (including Kristin Austin for RTC!) and a really interesting session from Sony Music and creative industries discussing what
AI means for tech in art at the AI Summit NYC 2025! I would love a panel that discusses ethics and accessibility from the perspective of artists and creatives who see a future in which AI is utilized but creativity is preserved. I’m a big fan of both art and science, and I see them as different lenses of the same passion and discipline, so this topic has always intrigued me!
You wrote about your younger brother on LinkedIn and said growing up beside him changed the way you see technology as a tool. Can you share more about how that perspective has shaped the kind of engineer you're becoming?
When I think about the future of technology and the direction that we’re going in, I’m constantly thinking about accessibility and how tech has become so intertwined with our daily lives. If we develop technology without consideration for the accessibility for different populations, we limit the use and growth of these technologies, while also actively being ignorant of the overall impact. Growing up with a brother who has Autism and several other conditions has shown me the span of how technology has helped people, and as I’ve seen tech grow, I’ve seen the limitations that are present. I’m passionate about building a future where technology is adaptable, education to use technology is accessible, and diversity is prioritized. I’m excited to continue to build on and be a part of that movement!
As AI continues to evolve rapidly, you've thought about what it means for systems to be built responsibly. What's one belief you're holding onto about how this technology should serve people?
I think something that stands out to me is that technology holds the power that we give to it. AI can’t decide for itself to build a data center, utilize Earth’s precious resources, and instill the fear of losing your job. The power of technology lies with the people that make decisions about how to use it, which ends up being our executives, leaders, and governments. It’s important to acknowledge that, speak out, and support your local communities in making an effort towards change. Technology itself is continually developed to serve people, and when people who have power to leverage technology aren’t considerate of the ethics of the full-picture, it ceases to meet the purpose of being a tool that’s used responsibly.
