Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the Tech Industry.  In this Q&A, we are featuring Melissa Herman, Chief Financial Officer at Wellframe.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I grew up in South Jersey, and was a true child of the 80s that was obsessed with reading encyclopedias, acting out WWF moves, and taking long bike rides until the sun went down. At 11, I secured my first job by convincing my neighbor to give me his paper route.  When I was 16, I took a job at a local market.  A year later, not only did I know how to make some of the best hoagies in the Philadelphia area, I was promoted to shift leader and trusted with the keys to the safe. Thinking back now, my excitement over holding those keys should have been a sign that I was destined for a finance career!

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I studied Economics at Rutgers University, and had secured a full time job in a stockbroker apprentice program in the NYC suburbs.  In my first year, we experienced a recession and 9/11.  It was a difficult time for the markets, and a sensitive time to prospect for new clients.  We were a small regional firm, and we pivoted to use our time and cold calling skills to plan and publicize a fundraising event to benefit first responders, and to source necessary supplies for the K-9 units at Ground Zero.  This experience was my first exposure to the positive impact that companies can make in their communities, and that has stayed with me, 20 years later.

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

After my first year in sales, I transitioned into a client services role at an online trading platform startup based in Jersey City.  I loved the job, and the technology focus of the company, but in my second month they announced that they were being acquired.  Rather than start a third job in the NYC area, I used my severance pay to move to Phoenix, which was experiencing rapid growth.  Once settled, I enrolled in an evening Masters program at Arizona State, which opened the door for me to transition from financial services to an FP&A analyst role at Intel. Intel took me from Phoenix to San Francisco, and right before the 2008 crisis, I started a 6 year stint at Riverbed Technology, a network optimization company well positioned for the recession.

Halfway through my time at Riverbed, I relocated to Cambridge, and had the opportunity to lead finance for our fastest growing business units.  The business units were born out of multiple acquisitions, including one for $1B, and I learned a lot from the entrepreneurs on those teams.

In 2014, after a decade of working for publicly traded companies based on the West Coast, I returned to the startup world. I joined ObserveIT, a cybersecurity software company originally headquartered in Tel Aviv, and then Iora Health, a primary care provider based in Boston.  My transition to healthcare in 2016 was another key shift.  Wellframe’s mission has been a great fit for me - I love applying my prior experience from early stage companies and the technology world to help people get the care and support they need, when and where they need it.  

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I am currently the Chief Financial Officer at Wellframe, and responsible for Finance, Accounting, Business Operations, People and Culture, IT / Security, and Legal / Compliance.  When I initially joined the company, many of our administrative functions were outsourced, so I have been blessed with the opportunity to build a high performing team from scratch.

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

When I was growing up, I wanted to be a crossing guard, then a veterinarian, and then Jerry McGuire.  I initially started college as a sports management major, but transitioned over to Economics during my sophomore year.  Once I started in my first FP&A role at Intel, I knew I had found what I wanted to do for the rest of my career.  As I made a series of moves to progressively smaller companies, I was able to take on larger roles in Finance, and eventually bridge out into other related areas - first Sales Operations, then Accounting, then HR, and then all other administrative and compliance functions.  I had always had a goal of solving challenging problems and helping others, but I didn’t find my path until 4 years into my career.

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

Build a great team of experts, and then trust them to do their jobs.  I would also emphasize the importance of the first hire that you make at a new company.  At two of my startups, I was pregnant when I joined the company, and I knew that my first hire would not only need to learn the company quickly, but also cover parts of my role within the next 6 months.  In both cases, I looked for someone who had the right experience, but also the comfort and desire to take on ownership.  The first few members of your team are the core of your future organization.

An emerging finance leader should also trust their experience and instincts.  While you may not be an operational expert in every area, you know more than you think you do - and if you are open to doing the work to learn and fill in the gaps, you can easily add value.

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

In order to do a finance job well, I would recommend that you focus on adaptability, relationship building and quality of analysis. If your finance career takes you to an early stage company, I would suggest also focusing on grit, talent assessment and confidence.  At smaller companies, the finance role can blend into other operational areas, and it is important to be able to source reliable data quickly, and make decisions in areas where you have less experience. 

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s most challenging?

The answer is the same - the variety!  Our company is engaged in an evolving space at a very unique time.  When the external dynamics are combined with internal growth and expansion, it can be an incredibly exciting experience.  While no day is the same, and there is no boredom, it can be challenging to carve out time for longer term projects, and we need to pivot frequently.  It is important to have a team that can handle ambiguity and thrive in changing times.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment has been the growth and success of Wellframe over the last 4 years.  When I initially joined the company, we had about 30 employees, and were seeing early traction in the market.  Three years later, in 2019, we started to experience amazing progress and recognition as the model started to come together.  We were recognized as a Deloitte Fast500 company for our growth, a Boston Business Journal Best Places to Work for our culture, but most importantly, we were seeing increased impact delivered to our customers and their members.  While I was excited that my work had helped us to get to this series of wins, I was most proud of how thrilled that my team was to see their efforts pay off in a big way.

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?

Professionally, I am a member of the CFO Leadership Council, and was honored to be invited to participate in their Emerging Leader program last year.  Personally, I am most passionate about volunteering with organizations that support and mentor women and girls, including the Junior League of Boston, Science Club for Girls, and the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston.  Volunteering has been an important part of my life in Boston, and I have worked to incorporate my interests in community impact into Wellframe’s company culture.  I am the sponsor of an employee-led initiative called Wellframe Cares, which matches our volunteers with local non-profit organizations such as More Than Words, Catie’s Closet and Community Servings.

What’s next for you and your career?

I am excited about the opportunities ahead for Wellframe, as we prepare for the next stage of growth.  I will be attending MIT Sloan’s Executive MBA program this fall, and I am looking forward to learning new models and frameworks that I can apply at the company.  I have also been focusing more time on networking and learning from others.  One of the things that I love the most about Boston is that it is a small community, and very supportive and collaborative. 

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Spending time with my family - we have a 3 year old son and a 5 year old daughter.  We love being outside and exploring new places.  I also enjoy working on my family tree - the role of family historian was handed down to me from my grandmother a few years ago.  The research is essentially a series of puzzles and matching problems that can be very satisfying to solve.  My current project is to work on documenting my husband’s Ukrainian family history for our kids.

How do you manage stress?

Laughter.  There can be many setbacks and frustrating moments as you work with your team to build a company.  Finding the humor in it can be a healthy release.  I have also had to learn to fully unplug during this time when work/life integration is at its peak.  It is hard to be home with the kids during the week, but not be able to spend time with them.  For the first time in many years, I am no longer working on weekends, as I need them to know some time is only theirs.

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

Usually 2-3!  Although I am not originally from New England, I have adapted to drinking iced coffee year round, even in the dead of winter.  

What's one of your favorite places in the Boston area?

One of my favorite places in Boston is the Rose Kennedy Greenway area.  It is a great place to eat lunch outside during the work week, and it really comes to life in the summer.

Any book or podcast recommendations?

I am currently reading The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz, and Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde.  The latter is with the women’s book club at Wellframe.  Both of these books have provided interesting insights for leading and relating to others in this unique time.

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

All experience is valuable, and you can find something in every role that can be used later.  In my first role in sales, I learned how to build relationships, extract the needs of my clients and prospects, and communicate my point quickly.  These skills served me well as I transitioned to corporate finance, and was partnering with busy executives in other areas of the business.  

I would also suggest that you ask a lot of questions, and try to learn as much as you can about what is happening at your companies.  Later in your career, it can be helpful to reference how your companies addressed certain challenges, or accomplished something exceptional.  As a last tip, I would suggest that recent graduates not be shy about asking for advice and help from others.  It can be intimidating to ask someone to enter a formal mentor relationship, however, almost everyone can make time for coffee or tea, and then it is on you to follow up!

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the Tech Industry.  In this Q&A, we are featuring Michelle Wong, VP of Marketing at Jackpocket.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and even though I’ve lived in NYC for over a decade, I still consider myself a Californian. For those who know me now, they’d be surprised to learn that I was a shy kid. 

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I studied Economics and Business at UC Berkeley, and my first job was in management consulting at Accenture right out of school. Consulting provided a fantastic foundation and exposure to different industries and companies. 

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

I had always wanted to live in NYC, so I decided to pursue my MBA at NYU Stern to broaden my skill set and focus more on marketing. After graduating, I worked in brand management, until I had the opportunity to join American Express’s start-up arm. That was another critical point in my career when I realized I enjoyed working in smaller organizations. I took the plunge to startups and haven’t looked back! 

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I’m currently the VP of Marketing at Jackpocket, a mobile app startup that’s revolutionizing the $300 billion lottery industry. In this role, I’m responsible for initiating and driving an integrated marketing strategy. As we prepare to expand into many new states and markets, I work closely with my team to develop new acquisition channels, refine current channels, and ensure strong customer retention.

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

My career has not been linear, but I’m exactly where I want to be at this moment. My priorities have been to join a growing company with solid team culture over a specific role or vertical.

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

Keep up-to-date on new marketing trends (ex. mobile) and what's going on in the industries you're interested in. Earlier on in your career, try to determine how you will differentiate yourself from the pack and be open to learning new skills. Reach out and set up informational / coffee chats with folks working at companies or roles you're interested in. You may be surprised to see how open people are to chatting!  

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

Empathy. At the end of the day, we’re all humans who are navigating a challenging time. 

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s most challenging?

I’ve worked across many different industries and company stages, but this is my first foray into the real-money gaming space, so I’m learning something new every day. Additionally, adapting to the ever-changing mobile advertising environment has been both interesting and challenging. 

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?

I’m passionate about women’s health and serve as a marketing advisor to Natalist, a venture-backed startup dedicated to improving the path to parenthood.

I’m also a volunteer and foster with Muddy Paws Rescue, a non-profit organization dedicated to partnering with animal shelters to pull and place dogs into loving forever homes.

What’s next for you and your career?

I’m still relatively new at Jackpocket, and really enjoy it so far—plus there’s so much growth ahead—so I’m excited to make Jackpocket nothing short of a household name! Someday, I’d love the opportunity to serve on the board for an organization that aligns with my interests and values.

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the Tech Industry.  In this Q&A, we are featuring Tzipi Avioz, Executive Vice President Customer Success at Mirakl.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I grew up in Israel, also known as the Startup Nation. It’s one of the most innovative places in the world, and where I think I got my “never give up” mentality. Growing up among people who are really collaborative and open to building on ideas together is what made me who I am today. 

As a kid, I was never afraid to take on a challenge, and was always encouraged by my parents. My family jokes that ever since I was a toddler they knew that I’d be a leader – I was always the one at family events who was planning activities for all the cousins, and making sure that everyone was included. 

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

I had to start by serving on the Intelligence team (known as 8200) in the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Being a member of the IDF is something that defines life in Israel. At 18 and a half years old, I managed a team of 20 people. Not many have the opportunity to get that experience at such a young age. It was really formative for me.

My work at Shufersal, Israel’s largest supermarket chain, was the defining moment where I fell in love with retail. It gave me exposure to many different areas of the retail industry – I started as a checkout operator, worked my way up to become a deputy store manager in less than six months, and eventually stepped into a corporate role. Doing all these roles helped me learn very quickly what makes retail tick, and the opportunity to move into the head office to an operations and technology role really set me on the path that I’m still on today. 

Fast forward to a few years later, I became the CIO of Tiv Taam Group, one of the most innovative retailers in Israel, which at the time was experiencing aggressive growth. That role was the entry point into a brand new phase of my career, because it led me into a new opportunity with Woolworths Australia. When I went to Woolworths, it was the first of three times in my career where I jumped to a different kind of role at a new company. I had a senior development manager title, and to be honest some of my friends couldn’t believe I was choosing to move from C-level to a manager. But I am always grateful that I had the opportunity and I was open to try this new role, in a new company and country. I spent a decade of my career at Woolworths, guiding the company through its store and online retail development, becoming a leader and expert in the company’s digital tools, and managing large teams of 150 to 300 people. Every day was a learning moment. 

There have been a couple of other moves like that one, ultimately landing me where I am today at Mirakl. Mirakl has huge potential: I’m very passionate about what the company offers and what it delivers. It’s been a great way to build on my experience and my career background, and most importantly for me, I’m learning new things each day. That is what makes my role even more exciting. 

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I’m the executive vice president of customer success at Mirakl, which offers best-in-class software for companies launching third-party online marketplaces. One of the most important things that Mirakl brings to our customers, in addition to our software, is an unparalleled level of expertise on marketplaces. And our customer success team is a huge part of that. 

I lead our customer success team for clients in the Americas and APAC, like Urban Outfitters, HPE, and Best Buy Canada, and work very closely with executives to guide them through every stage of their time with Mirakl. In many cases, that starts even before they sign on to become a customer. We’ll help with implementation and launch, and we’re also a partner for them as they grow their marketplace business. Building those relationships is absolutely key to Mirakl’s success. 

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

The only clear vision of what I wanted my career to look like 10 or 20 years into the future was to do what I love. My view has always been, if I am enjoying it and passionate about what I can offer and what the role offers me, if I am challenged and learning – that's what I want to do.  Once you have that mindset, you open up all sorts of possibilities for yourself to use your (diversified) skills. It allows you to follow your passions, and for me, that’s where I’ve seen real fulfillment in my career. 

To be honest, I think that sometimes the traditional career advice with the five-year and 10-year plans can put you into a box. I can say truthfully that looking back, each of the roles I’ve held taught me something different that has brought me to where I am today. 

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

First and foremost, when you’re looking at a new opportunity, don’t stress too much about what it will look like on your resume. Think about what really gets you excited to go to work every day, how the role will impact you, and how you’ll make an impact within the organization. There have been a couple of times in my career where I’ve made a move that some people would call a step down, or a lateral move. Those have been some of the most formative experiences on my resume.

Personally, I’ve held a lot of different roles in different industries, and the connecting thread between all of them is interaction with customers. That goes for my first job as a checkout operator and as a CIO. That’s true for the time I spent at Woolworths focused on the retail experience. And of course, that’s true in my work in customer success. 

I might sound a little cliche, but it’s a cliche for a reason: don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, and step up to new opportunities, even when you don’t feel you’re 100% ready for it. That goes especially for women. My mother has this saying – “never a failure, always a learning.” You’ve probably heard the statistic that men apply for roles they’re 60% qualified for on paper, but women only apply for roles they’re 100% qualified for. Confidence is an important factor there, of course. But so is being afraid of failure. 

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

I’d start by saying proactiveness. Our customers keep us on our toes! I’m constantly working to anticipate challenges, understand strategies, and make connections so that every conversation is useful and meaningful for everyone involved. 

Accountability is really important. You have to be able to own your mistakes and your successes, and take responsibility for your efforts. That’s key for any customer-focused role. 

And then of course, relationship-building. This role is all about keeping our customers in the center of everything we do, and serving as true advisors to them as they work to achieve their goals. Developing strong relationships with them is critical to that success. When you trust and understand each other, it makes the rest easier.

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s most challenging?

I’d have the same answer for both, actually. When our customers are successful, Mirakl is successful. It has created a really rewarding environment for me and for the rest of my team: we enter into the relationship with that in mind. 

But it’s not always an easy thing to achieve. The projects we work on are tough and ambitious. Companies come to us with the idea that they’re transforming their businesses. Some of these businesses have been around for more than a hundred years, they have thousands of employees, and lots of “big company” mentalities. We’re supporting them through a transition into a new business model, a different way of operating and to be agile. It makes things both more challenging and more rewarding when we succeed.  

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

I am so proud of the teams that I’ve built. It’s one of my greatest passions. Finding the right balance of people with different, complementary skillsets to do the work isn’t easy, but when you get it right, it has such an impact. Even now, many of the teams that I helped build in my previous roles are still together. That’s so rewarding to see. 

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?

I’ve benefited in countless ways from mentors who helped me through all sorts of professional challenges and triumphs. That’s the area where I try to give the most back. I actively mentor a number of women who are at different stages of their careers, specifically in STEM-focused industries. I’ve also participated as a mentor with Day of STEM at LifeJourney, where students get to test-drive future STEM careers and develop new skills to help them find their own passion. And finally, I’ve worked with startup CEOs to help them build and develop to their next growth phase, so that their businesses get the kind of guidance that has been so beneficial to me. 

What’s next for you and your career?

Right now, my focus is on continuing to build and strengthen Mirakl’s customer success team here in the Americas. We have such a great group of experts here, but as our business grows scalability is key, there’s so much more that

can be done! (And by the way, I have to mention that we’re hiring!)

Mirakl customers join experts from the Mirakl Customer Success team for a meeting of the User Advisory Board

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Work keeps me very busy, so I try to keep things simple in my free time: reading (especially books focused on leadership and business strategy), doing puzzles and of course, spending time with my family. 

How do you manage stress?

When I’m dealing with something stressful, I try to give myself space to step away from it so that I can process it at a different time – I find that it helps me to approach things with a cool head. Yoga helps. Walks on the beach. And making time for myself to focus on something else, so that I can come back to a challenge with a clean slate. 

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

Two – but I have to say that the coffee here doesn’t compare to what you can get in Australia. I miss flat whites! 

What's one of your favorite places in the Boston area?

No question, it has to be Cape Cod – every time we cross the bridge, I get excited. It immediately feels like “my happy place.” We are lucky enough to be able to spend some time there a few times a year as a family. 

Any book or podcast recommendations?  

I just finished reading Dare to Lead by Brene Brown. You absolutely don’t have to be a business leader to appreciate the learnings she shares. Everyone should read it – it’s applicable to so many different parts of life, not just work.

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the Tech Industry.  In this Q&A, we are featuring Mary Beth Vassallo, VP & GM of North America at Nexthink.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I’m a second-generation Italian American, after coming to America in the 20s, my family settled in an Italian neighborhood on the north-side of Syracuse.  I grew up the youngest of 4 children, with a private catholic education. However, growing up I was extremely dedicated to gymnastics with dreams of becoming the next Olga Korbut. I was always competitive, but at the same time a bit of an introverted. Unfortunately, my gymnastics dreams did not pan out – but the fundamentals of concentration, independent strength and competitiveness still serve me well today.

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I studied Mathematics and Computer Science at Syracuse University.  I landed my first job with a consulting company 6 months before graduating and was placed at IBM where I was a software developer on a government project.  From there, I moved into IT operations, supporting a very large datacenter at GE.   

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today? 

My career has been more like a jungle gym than a ladder.  It has given me the opportunity to explore, stretch, learn, and grow.  Moving from IT to “the vendor” side was pivotal for my personal growth.  I worked at Boston-based Digital Equipment Corporation as a system engineer and moved into sales only because a door opened when the sales rep I supported went out on maternity leave and never came back.  This was another critical turning point in my career.  She and I are still friends. We talk about her decision to stay home and the impact it had on my career.  The next few important steps landed me in my current state - moving from individual contributor to management, building teams and business from the ground up multiple times with different go to market models, expanding to run global/diverse teams and leveraging experiences from large corporations, mid-size hypergrowth companies and startups.

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I am currently responsible for building the business for North America.  When I started at Nexthink three years ago, we were 14 people in the Boston office and today we total more than 100 in North America – more than 600 globally. North America is an important market for the company, which was originally founded in Switzerland, now we have a dual headquarters in Boston and Lausanne, our CEO has moved to Boston and we continue to build out the management team based here, including the addition of a new Chief People Officer Meg Donovan.

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position? 

I always knew I wanted to be in a leadership role.  My mother was a big influence on my career.  She pushed me to enter the tech world before most people knew what a computer was.  Every time I’d land a new job or get a promotion, I’d call to let her know and she’d say, “one step closer to becoming a CEO”.  She is 99 now and asks me why I work so hard…

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

Hiring the right people and putting them in the right seat. Motivating, and inspiring my team through both good and challenging times is so important. It’s also necessary to practice active listening and to be open-minded and try new things to have a more open perspective from my colleagues and team.  Having a mentor or two doesn’t hurt, someone to go to for guidance and holding myself accountable to do the best I can each day.

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s most challenging?

The most rewarding work is developing my team, having them find personal and professional success.  Also, the value that Nexthink brings to our customers is incredibly rewarding, seeing external teams be able to tackle major challenges or have visibility where previously they were stuck guessing. I love hearing stories from our happy customers.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

It has always been about people for me.  Being a coach and mentor, helping others grow personally and professionally. One of my proudest moments was when someone I mentored thanked me for providing not only the professional coaching throughout his career, but also the confidence and internal belief that he would succeed.

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?

I have been actively involved in Take Steps - Crohn's & Colitis Foundation for the past 15 years. My son was diagnosed with Crohn’s at age 8.  There was no medicine to help him until he turned 13 so he battled it for many years.  He is in remission now thankfully from taking medicine produced by Johnson & Johnson, but it may not last, so I actively fund raise and support this cause to help find a cure.

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

The world seems very different now than when I graduated, but I believe in the advice that I was given when I graduated and continue to pass on to people early in their career.  Have a destination in the back of your mind but also know that you have a great journey ahead, take some risks, try things that may feel uncomfortable because there are only two things that will happen – you will win or you will learn and both are great!

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the Tech Industry.  In this Q&A, we are featuring Bela Labovitch, VP of Engineering at athenahealth.

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What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school?

I earned my Bachelor’s degrees in both Computer Science and Psychology from Brandeis University and my Master’s degree in Computer Science from Northeastern University. I have always loved to code, and my first job out of college was as a software engineer (no surprise!).

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today?

My career path was not linear - I started out as a Software Engineer and then went down the management path. I was working long hours as the Director of Engineering of a dynamic and fast-moving organization when a critical moment in my career occurred. My second son, then eighteen months old and possessing a limited vocabulary, said “Mom, I hate, hate that you work.” It was then that I decided it would be better to balance work and mothering two boys by returning to an individual contributor role. So, I stepped down from my Director position and spent my children’s formative years working part-time as a developer and architect. Ten years later, when I returned to full-time work and eventually a management position, I realized that you could toggle between management and individual contributor functions effectively. For those managers who miss being hands-on, it is possible to go back and forth - in fact, it can make you a better manager.

My 18-month-old has since grown up. I am pictured below with both of my children.

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I currently lead engineering for athenahealth’s flagship Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) product athenaCollector. athenahealth’s vision is to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all. I lead a team of architects and developers whose goal is to deliver stable, scalable, performant and secure software to support our healthcare provider community. I am proud that our product has received a 2020 Best in KLAS award for Ambulatory RCM Services.

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

Earlier in my career the only thing I knew was that I wanted to be doing what I was passionate about, while making a difference in this world. I was always enthusiastic about building excellent software that has an impact on people’s lives. I am lucky to be in a position where I love my job and find it very rewarding. One of my goals also includes developing and retaining women in the technology field and cultivating women leaders. Being on the steering committee of one of athenahealth’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) – the Women’s Leadership Forum — and founding our Women in Technology initiative has given me an outlet to express myself, mentor, and help achievethis goal.

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

Visualize where you would like to be and then work hard with a sense of optimism. It is important to enjoy your journey - if you are passionate and work hard but with ease, and help others along the way, there is a good chance you can achieve your career goals. Early in my career, I learned to take initiative, not let fear hold me back and that I didn’t need the title of a leader to be a leader.

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

My job is to create and sustain high-performing teams that deliver great outcomes for our customers. Towards this, it is important for me to focus on creating a culture for my team to do their best work, optimize processes and imbue software excellence in my organization. I need to care deeply about and understand my team, communicate well, empower my staff and make sure I keep learning and stay on top of technology and healthcare trends. In short, I need the skills to be both a great leader and technologist.

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s most challenging?

There are so many interesting things about my work - different pockets of my organization are solving various problems of automation, scale, performance and creation of value for our customers, who are healthcare providers. Most challenging (and interesting!) for athenahealth’s engineering team is our microservice journey, as we work towards partitioning our software into independent pieces of functionality, while continuing to delight and deliver value to our healthcare community.   

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work?

I am passionate about bringing and keeping women in STEM - particularly technology - and I mentor and speak at various local organizations such as Girls Who Code. I belong to The Boston Club and work with women across technology companies in the Boston area on programming for women. I am looking forward to joining and getting more involved with the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association this year.

What’s next for you and your career?

I am perfectly happy with where I am right now and someday look to be on an Executive leadership team for an organization. I would also like to serve as a board member for some organizations whose values align with mine.

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I am a reader and belong to two book clubs. I run and practice yoga, and I love being outside. I also like to volunteer and have been a long-time parental stress counselor and serve on the board of a non-profit called Parents Helping Parents.

How do you manage stress?

Between meditation, yoga, and running, I have had a good handle on stress (mostly!).  

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

I love my coffee! Two cups a day, maybe three if I have a break from meetings and can get a third.

What's one of your favorite places in the Boston/New York area?

I love the water - take me anywhere - the Boston Harbor, Crane Beach or Lake Waban and I am happy!

Any book or podcast recommendations? 

Here is what you will find on my bedside today - books that I am reading right now:

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

My son graduated from college this month, so I have a lot of advice! This is a hard time - college graduates have missed much of their final semester, time with friends and find themselves graduating into a tough job market. They are learning early, that things don’t always go the way you imagine they will. But this is an opportunity to purposefully learn resilience and grit. Be grateful for all that is good and stay optimistic, every day. Confront your fears, and then move forward with a sense of purpose - you can make a difference every day, to your community and to the larger world. Take this privilege, give to others and work hard - life will fall into place and be good.

Our Lead(H)er series features impressive women leaders in the Tech Industry.  In this Q&A, we are featuring Cindy Stanton, VP, VRM Practice Leader at Rapid7.

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Where did you grow up and how would you describe yourself as a child?

I grew up outside of Boston in Boxford, MA with my parents and my younger sister.  I was quite curious as a child and always interested in nature.  I would collect a bucket of seashells and then study what had lived in each shell, creating shoebox displays with my view on how they should be classified. 

I wanted to try almost anything in my youth. I enjoyed playing sports (both individual and team), playing musical instruments (the flute, oboe, and piano), and participating in school activities (plays, every academic team, German club, and an environmental club).  I think that my propensity to stay busy and being part of teams are traits that have stayed with me throughout my life and career. 

What did you study in college and what was your first job out of school? 

At Dartmouth College, I studied biology modified with environmental science.  And I continued my penchant for being engaged outside the classroom.  I served as Vice President of my sorority and captain of the college’s rugby team.  I also worked in a local start-up bookstore.  At that job, we started a business creating copyright-approved packets that professors wanted their students to read (i.e., articles) beyond the textbooks that we stocked.  It was an amazing experience.  I was involved in creating an expo for other businesses that wanted to access the student market during our back to school rush and designed a database and workflows to support our business processes.  That taste of entrepreneurship influenced me greatly.  Indeed, it shifted my path from medical school to business.  I participated in on-campus recruiting and took my first post-college job as an account rep for a paper mill.  You know the television show “The Office”?  We sold to companies like Dunder Mifflin.  I was told by several people that I would never regret the sales experience.  They were correct.  It was extremely beneficial and fascinating to meet the needs of different types of companies ranging from a school that needed copy paper to the retail company trying to minimize shipping costs for catalogs to the largest publishers in New York City.  There was also a bit of a wow factor working on deals that would take fifty truckloads to deliver.

Can you share the details on your career path and what were the critical moments that got you to where you are today? 

I never viewed my career path as having definitive milestones and/or a linear progression.  Rather, I have always looked for a team of people I can enjoy and learn from and a challenge that I find interesting.

One obvious key moment in my career was switching from a paper mill to an Internet start-up focused on the paper industry.  At its core, this was a move from manufacturing to technology (where I have stayed ever since).  With respect to the security industry—where I have spent almost twenty years—it was more luck than long-term planning.  I took a job in security initially, because it would give me some time in London, while I applied to graduate school.  Instead I found that I really loved the security space and have since been able to partner with all sorts of companies to help them protect their businesses.

I would say most of my critical moments were the result of managers believing in me and trusting me to take on more projects and responsibility.  When I have lost track of that truth, I have made decisions to work in situations that did not necessarily propel me forward and in fact were detrimental.  It is something I have promised myself to be mindful of going forward.

What is your current role and responsibilities?

I am responsible for the Vulnerability Risk Management Practice at Rapid7, which includes our vulnerability management, application security, and offensive security products and services.  Rapid7 is structured into practices that are devoted to focusing on particular customer problems in the security space.  By bringing together product management, user experience, engineering, product marketing, and team members that help us map back to key cross-practice functions like Sales Engineering and Support, we are able to be highly focused on our customers getting the most value out of the solutions in each practice area.  In my role, I am responsible for our products and services meeting our promises to customers and working with my team to set our roadmap and plans to continue to evolve and delight our customers. I have an amazing team, and it is a real delight to work with them, as we set ambitious goals to improve the way customers consume our products and strive to meet them.

Looking back, is this where you thought you’d be professionally?  Was it always your goal to be in this position?

A person can only foresee so far into the future.  Cybersecurity was not on my radar, when I was in college and applying for jobs.  Once I did find this market I enjoyed, I have looked for ways to explore new facets like moving to a company focused on securing Public Cloud, because I wanted to understand how that IT trend was going to impact my area.  Some of my decisions worked out, some were not as positive. However, I am so grateful for all of those experiences. I certainly am happy where I am today and am excited about what the future may bring.

For people who are looking to be in a similar position, what advice would you give to others in terms of helping them achieve their career goals?

My advice would be to look for opportunities to work cross-functionally to solve problems.  I have spent most of my career in product management, which is grounded in understanding customer problems and working across teams to help solve them.  It is of critical importance to develop deep partnerships within your organization to deliver results.   I sought out a product management role out of graduate school to gain that perspective, and I found much satisfaction in those roles.

I would also advise being open to taking customer facing roles that are opportunities for impact.  These roles can help build perspective invaluable to developing the right solution and working with your peers to get that solution to customers.  And being open to opportunities to drive impact that are outside your comfort zone is always a plus. Be comfortable taking risks and be okay with admitting when those risks have not delivered your desired result, so you can change your course and get in a better situation.  Broad experiences and perspectives provide the experience to tackle a cross-functional role like the one I enjoy.

What are the most important skills that you need to do your job well?

I think the most important skills for my job are systems thinking, being data driven, and having empathy.  System thinking allows me to look at each part of our work to build and market our products and think about how it impacts the overall customer experience.  Then using data to understand those experiences, solve problems, and develop the right metrics to track our progress is critical to how we stay on track and help influence others to support our mission.  And I don’t think I can overstate how crucial empathy is to helping not only to understand what our customers need from us to get value and meet their needs, but also to be better partners internally to drive a cohesive approach across all functions to support progress for customers. 

What do you find most interesting/rewarding about your work?  What’s most challenging? 

What intrigued me about cybersecurity from the start was the need to evolve to meet the changing threats from human adversaries.  Over time, it has become clear that easy to use and effective solutions are the best deterrents to the majority of threats.  I have worked with many customers on the bleeding edge of technology and security, but at this stage in my career I am also really passionate about solving security problems for companies with fewer resources and skills.  Often, we are working with customers as they navigate their worst day.  Helping them respond, separate the initial fears from the reality of impact and supporting them as they plan to evolve to mitigate the threat in the future is really rewarding. 

The challenge that I like to tackle is making navigating the complex world of cybersecurity simpler for our customers. Making security more attainable to every organization is a passion of mine and an exciting challenge to take on.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?

I am proud of a number of moments in my career.  One that was early on, but always stays with me is working to find a new home for my team, when my first cybersecurity company in London lost funding, due to a conflict with investors rather than health of the business.  I am proud of staying focused in that turbulent time to build the case to be successfully acquired by a US based cybersecurity firm.  Our office’s success following the acquisition allowed us to quickly become 25% of overall revenue, responsible for bringing in the top commercial clients and supporting that firm’s acquisition by a large telecom.  Our team of wickedly smart penetration testers, experienced security consultants and sharp sales people came to work everyday believing we could slay dragons, and somehow we did.  I am proud of our accomplishments and also the friendships that I still cherish today.

Are you involved with any professional organizations outside of the company? Volunteer work? 

I genuinely do wish that I were involved in professional organizations, but there are only so many hours in a day.  I do attend local events for women’s technology and product groups.  I have two elementary school aged daughters and a 16-year-old stepson.  I find myself thinking about life as seasons, and this is a season where my commitment to my children and our community has taken precedence over professional organizations.  I am a board member of my children’s PTA, lead my oldest daughter’s girl scout troop, and manage my daughter’s sports teams (my husband serves as the coach).  I am also involved in community service programs through our church.

What’s next for you and your career?

I have been at Rapid7 for almost a year.  When I joined Rapid7, I felt like I was coming home.  I love the culture, the people and the problems we are solving for customers.  Hopefully, what is next in my career is to continue to contribute to our mission in a way that maximizes my impact for our team and my customers.  I know it sounds corny, but when you find a place that lets you be your best, you want to just stay there and do just that.

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Q&A

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Free time is such a lovely idea! I wish there were more of it!  In my free time, I love to spend time with my family.  Whether playing or watching sports (we live very close to a college, where we are big fans of their teams), walking in the woods, or just cuddling and watching a movie, they really are the focus of my free time these days. 

How do you manage stress?

I should say exercise, and I have found particularly during the last month here at home, it has been a big help.  I try to stay focused on all the things that I am grateful for.  During the Coronavirus, I still have plenty of work to do.  But there is no group of people I would rather be on lockdown with than my family.

I think for me the greatest stress relief is connecting with others.  Before the lockdown, one of my best friends and I would connect for 15 minutes in the morning on our commutes.  I also have friends from my children's school that share the frustrations and help see the funny side of things.  Sharing my worries, helping someone else with theirs and trying to find humor in this crazy journey we are all on is something that helps me to manage my stress. 

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

Zero.  I am one of those strange people that does not drink coffee.  Everyone told me it would happen in college, first job, living in Europe, graduate school, first baby, and I just never liked the taste.  I have a terrible habit of grabbing a Coke Zero in the mid-afternoon for a little jolt.  If you see me in the morning, please excuse my uncaffienated self.

What's one of your favorite places in the Boston area?

I grew up in Boston and one of the things I have loved about joining Rapid7 is getting back to Boston regularly.  Spending time in Boxford at my parents’ house with my kids is probably my favorite thing.  Having two little city kids from DC getting to roam the woods and enjoy lots of space to play has brought me a lot of joy. 

 Any book or podcast recommendations?

I do not read nearly as much as I did when I was younger.  But I do listen to podcasts, while commuting and exercising.  My favorite podcasts are SaaStr, Darknet Diaries, and Armchair Expert with Dax Shepherd.

What advice do you have for recent college graduates?

Every role in a company is important.  Being a great team member is about not only your skill and hard work, but about how you work to make everyone on the team better and meet your shared goals.  Trust that a focus on being part of and contributing to a great team will deliver opportunity.  And remember that careers are long.  You are not in a race and oftentimes your progression is not linear, so be patient and maximize where you are versus always looking to what is next.

As part of our Lead(H)er series, we have had the great privilege of interviewing so many incredibly talented women who are founders or executives at some of the fastest growing companies in Boston's vibrant startup scene.

They’ve told us about everything from the challenges, successes, and surprises of their careers to how many cups of coffee it takes to get through a day, so take a look at our list of the talented women we’ve spotlighted this year.

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Lauren Melton, Vice President of People Operations at Ellevation Education

Check out the full article   View Klaviyo Jobs

Maria Manrique has spent much of her career in technology, though she didn’t necessarily intend for that to happen. Manrique’s skill set lies in helping companies scale and drive growth, and in Boston, roles that need those skills are more likely than not in tech companies. She's now the Chief Financial Officer at O'Reilly, which provides technology and business training and insights to help clients manage economic and technological shifts, through its online learning solution and extensive conference program.

Manrique began her career as an engagement manager at McKinsey & Company, then spent six years at Fidelity Investments in both Boston and Paris. Her first CFO role was at ecoATM Gazelle, a company that provides an international network of recycling and payment kiosks for electronic devices. She’d been at Toast as its vice president of finance and administration for about a year prior to moving to O’Reilly.

Not only did the role offered to her come with strong leadership responsibilities; it also played directly to Manrique’s strengths of business scaling and development. “Some of our major customers are based in the Northeast, and the company was looking to have an executive presence in the Boston office,” Manrique explained. “I jumped at the opportunity.”

Manrique’s previous employers had been largely private equity backed or VC backed, while O’Reilly is a privately held company. The switch offers a unique management challenge for her. “There are different financial targets and growth goals that need to be managed within existing resources,” Manrique said. “A privately held company is not necessarily interested in fundraising externally, so there are growth goals that need to be met within  stricter guardrails.”

Manrique welcomes the puzzle of growing O’Reilly within those parameters. She does this by helping oversee almost all aspects of the company’s Boston operations, including legal, sales operations, and human resources, for which she has a particular soft spot. In partnership with the heads of each division, Manrique helps ensure  O’Reilly is meeting its strategic goals.

Outside of work, Manrique is heavily involved with Casa Myrna, a nonprofit in Boston’s South End that works to end domestic and dating violence by providing women with resources and safe spaces. She counts this work, along with the ability to raise her children in an intergenerational household, among her greatest accomplishments so far.

Looking forward in her professional career, Manrique is committed to helping O’Reilly continue growing and maintaining its strong brand presence while she continues to be a valuable member of the executive team.

“I’m proud to be part of the company’s history of financial stability and financial strength that allows us to make investments that are all self-funded,” Manrique said.

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Quick q(uestions) and a(dvice)

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I’m an avid reader, and I love keeping up with the latest and greatest books. I try to find time for that, especially during my commute. I enjoy being a part of my kids’ activities, so a lot of my time is spent supporting them in their interests. My husband is a talented artist, while artistically challenged myself, I enjoy his love of art and visiting local art installations.  

What are your strategies for managing stress?

This is a work in process for me. I do my best to plan for the madness, both at work and at home. I feel like having a solid plan is a good start. It’s also important for me to share the wealth in terms of responsibilities and leadership opportunities—that way I can give additional experiences to my team but also delegate and take things off my plate. The same goes at home, having my kids step up and help. My husband is an amazing partner, and home tasks are very much divided 50/50—maybe he might argue 60/40!  My parents provide an incredible amount of support and I can’t tell you we would manage without them.

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

I’m sipping on my third of the day right now, so too many! I enjoy reading articles that talk about the benefits of coffee because I drink so many cups—maybe three or four daily.

What’s one of your favorite places in the Boston area?

The Back Bay has to be my favorite. I love all of Boston, but Back Bay is the neighborhood where I lived as a newcomer to Boston and as a student, so it brings back a lot of memories of why I chose Boston as my home.

What’s one of your proudest accomplishments?

I'm very proud to live in a multigenerational household where everyone's goals and aspirations are supported. My husband and I have successful careers  we love, my kids are happy and thriving at school and outside of school, and my parents get to enjoy their retirement and live with their grandchildren in a wonderful place, Massachusetts. I didn't have that growing up, and  always dreamt of it, so I’m proud that we’ve been able to create it, as a team.

Another accomplishment I’m proud of is joining the board of Casa Myrna,  the largest provider of shelter services for domestic violence survivors in Massachusetts. I’m proud to be part of their efforts to continue doing the amazing work they do in the Boston area.

How does where you are now compare to where you saw yourself 10 years ago? 

This is above and beyond my expectations. I love my job, I’m involved with the community, I’m involved at home, and I’m incredibly happy and grateful for where I am.  Hard work, having access to incredible educational and work opportunities being in Boston and in fast-growth technology businesses have played a key role. My role at O’Reilly is a dream CFO position supporting an accomplished, fun and talented team.

What’s your advice for a recent college graduate?

Don’t pass on opportunities that might not be a perfect fit at first, because they can open other doors. People should aspire to be in roles  they’re passionate about and feel are a good fit for their skills, but there’s nothing wrong with trying something that might not be perfect at first. That’s how I got to most of the jobs  I’ve had, and I think they’ve been my best roles, you can mold a role or project to what you want it to be. Keep an open mind in terms of opportunities that open up and jump on the ones you think you’ll be able to get the most out of, even if they’re not what you expected.

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Samantha Costanzo Carleton is a Contributor to VentureFizz. You can follow her on Twitter @smcstnz.

Jackie Swansburg Paulino graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in communications and a desire to start her own company and work for herself. Her father, himself an entrepreneur, had passed down a sense of self-determination that drove Paulino to work for him in her first years out of college, during which she had the opportunity to open a yoga studio, help manage one of his golf courses, and partner with him to flip houses to earn her living through the first few years of her career. 

Soon, Paulino realized that she enjoyed the marketing and advertising aspects of each of these businesses the most. She took what she had learned about management and customer service through each of her ventures, combined those with her emerging interest in advertising, and landed a job at Neal Advertising, both small firms where she managed a team that ran Google Adwords campaigns for clients. 

“I was thinking of all these ideas to improve how the searches were working, but it's hard to move mountains and change anything that Google's doing,” Paulino said. “I decided I wanted to work for a small software startup where I could work in advertising but still have my finger on the pulse of what's going on and help build the product I’m advertising.” 

Pixability proved to be a perfect match. When Paulino started at the video advertising platform as a senior data analyst about six years ago, she was one of a handful of employees working in a single, small room. While the company has grown considerably since then, with Paulino now holding the title of Chief Product Officer. 

Despite the company’s size, Paulino still feels the same entrepreneurial spirit in the company that drew her to it in the first place. 

“I like that roll-up-your-sleeves, everybody-does-everything vibe,” Paulino said. “I still have that sense of entrepreneurship at Pixability, but I get to do it in a less-scary way, at a company that’s been around for 10 years and has solid footing.” 

In her current role, Paulino is responsible for four teams: account management, advertising operations, insights, and sales strategy. Each is responsible for connecting with customers in its own way, from boosting retention rates to reaching them through the purchase of social media ads. It’s that customer connection that helps Paulino keep each team organized and stocked with the resources they need to be successful.

“Everyone’s focused around our customers,” she said. “We’re a pretty small, agile company, so we’re able to bend over backward for our customers.”

One of the ways Pixability does that is by creating custom solutions for larger clients, then using those programs repeatable for smaller customers. Paulino encourages the same repetition in her team and works to automate as many of their recurring tasks as possible, leaving more time for innovation.

Thanks to their efficiency, Paulino isn’t necessarily looking to increase the size of those teams at the same rate as Pixability’s revenue growth. The company plans to develop a new self-serve product that allows for more customers to use the product with less hands-on support. Pixability also intends to add connected TV buying on top of its YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram buying. 

Paulino is enthusiastic about the prospect of helping the company become a SaaS business.

“We’re in the right place,” she said. “We’re at this great acceleration spot for the company.”

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Quick Q(uestions) and A(dvice)

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I like to read business books and books about other tech entrepreneurs. I also like to hang out with my dog, who just turned 13, watch sports, and play golf.

What are your strategies for managing stress?

I just downloaded the Calm app, so I’m trying to get into meditation. Working out and listening to audiobooks on Audible also help.

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day?

Two, and I need them both desperately!

What’s one of your favorite places in the Boston area?

I’m from the North Shore, so West Beach in Beverly is my favorite spot. In Boston proper, Night Shift Brewery is a new hotspot for our office.

What do you consider one of your proudest accomplishments?

Building a team that has a high retention rate of customers, and whose members stick around at Pixability. Building a team that likes to work here and is proud of the work we do makes me really proud.

How does where you are now compare to where you saw yourself 10 years ago?

It’s much more stable. I never thought I’d work for anyone else, but I’m happy to be in a good place at a growing company. In my 20s, I sometimes envied those cool startups where other people were working, so I think it’s cool to actually be a part of one of them now.

What’s your advice for recent college graduates?

My advice would be to start small. It’s great to work for a big company, and that’s definitely the right move for some people. But if you work at a small company like Pixability, you get to do a lot of different things. We give our younger employees a lot of responsibility. When you’re working at a small company or startup, you get to try out things you otherwise wouldn’t get to because you don’t have one job. You have a hundred different jobs, and you might like only 50 of them, but you’ll get an idea of what you’re looking for in your next role through those. I wouldn’t try to focus on one thing or get caught up with job titles right out of college. If you can work for a cool company, you should do it. Take a risk, because this is the time in your career when you can do that. Learning what you don’t like is just as important as learning what you do, so try different things and try them early.

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Samantha Costanzo Carleton is a Contributor to VentureFizz. You can follow her on Twitter @smcstnz.

When you’re looking for the best prices on flights and hotels for your next vacation, you might want to check out an app like Hopper. The company collects 750 billion prices each month, which now include flights and hotels, to analyze and predict prices so that you get a great deal on your trip. 

Hopper’s machine learning algorithms can answer anything from “When should I book my flight?” to “Where should I go on my next trip?” 

Mastering all of that personalized data-driven advice is Ella Alkalay Schreiber, Hopper’s Vice President of Data Science. 

“What was once done by a human travel agent is now done through a machine that gets smarter each time an action is or is not taken,” Schreiber said. 

To become the leading source on travel data and advice, Schreiber and her team have collected and analyzed trillions of price points. Hopper has distinguished itself in the travel industry with its unique data-driven conversational commerce, and the data science team is constantly working on building a richer and more dynamic dialogue with their customers. This conversation and user intent data is key to the company’s ability to implement algorithms and provide users personalized recommendations. 

For example, earlier this year Hopper began testing a new recommendation algorithm which models meaningful insights into how much users are willing to pay extra over the lowest price for different flight qualitative variables like stops, cabin class, departure time, carrier etc. Every conversion strengthens the algorithm, thereby making future flight recommendations even more relevant for the specific customer, removing friction and empowering the customer consideration set.

Additionally, Schreiber and her team utilize the data to collaborate with the public relations team to serve as a trusted source for journalists when they’re working on travel stories. Her team also collaborates with airline and hotel partners to help them explore new strategies and opportunities based on Hopper’s unique set of demand and pricing data. In this way, Hopper’s data science team is delivering lasting impact for both business partners like airlines and hotels as well as travelers planning their next trip. 

Schreiber first entered the field of data science in Israel, at Outbrain, the world's leading performance-driven discovery and native advertising platform. She was a data scientist in the recommendations group, where they served personalized content recommendations to over 500 million unique users. Her transition to Hopper from there was an organic one, as Outbrain’s recommender systems are similar to the algorithms Hopper serves. At any given moment, there are thousands of potential recommendations Hopper could be offering a single user. The key to success is reaching the right user with perfect flight recommendation at the right time. 

“As a data scientist, it’s important for me to work in companies where the value proposition is the data,” Schreiber said. “I wanted a company that didn’t compromise, and strives to be the best in that field.” 

When she began at Hopper as a data scientist in 2016, the team consisted of three people. Now, Schreiber manages a team of 20 within the 300-person company.

Schreiber is committed to ensuring that her team retains its communication, processes, and impact as it and Hopper continue to grow. They’re currently working on implementing new machine learning frameworks to help support both the flights and hotels side of the business. With these advancements, Hopper can extend and improve its conversation in the company’s signature user-centric and data-driven style. 

“Hopper is always evolving,” Schreiber said. “The opportunities and challenges are huge, and the more we grow, understand the industry, and collaborate with users and airlines, the more interesting our environment becomes.” 

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Quick Q(uestions) and A(dvice) 

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? 

I love going diving -- that’s usually my preferred type of vacation. I scuba dive all over the world. I studied 10 years ago on an island in Honduras, and since then I’ve spent almost every vacation in a diving site.

How do you manage stress? 

I focus on causality and action items. I think understanding the root cause of the stress and talking to my team helps me deal with it. Taking time off is good, too! It’s important to have an escape. 

How many cups of coffee do you have in a day? 

Too many! I think four cups a day now. We have a really good coffee machine here. 

What’s one of your favorite places in the Boston area? 

I love the Esplanade. There’s a good beer garden along there to have a drink, watch the water, and relax. It’s also dog-friendly, which is perfect. 

What do you consider one of your greatest accomplishments? 

Establishing this team at Hopper and building it from a small startup to where it is now has been my proudest so far. Finding amazing people in this space has taught me so much. We’re looking for people who are inherently curious and are exceptional problem solvers. Everyone on our team is very independent, so we’re looking for people who are self-sufficient and ready to take on and own challenges. We spend a lot of time collaborating with other teams. In addition to having the right technical skills, members of the data science team must have strong product intuition, business judgment, and the ability to articulate their findings to non-technical people. 

How does where you are now compare to where you saw yourself 10 years ago?

I didn’t know I’d move to Boston and lead a team like this! Every day at Hopper is a fascinating day -- there are so many ideas, projects, challenges, and new hires. Every day I feel fortunate that this is my job. 

What’s your advice for recent college graduates? 

Make sure you work in your passion. Work in something that you think about all the time. When I’m hiring, I’m always looking for people that have passion, curiosity, problem-solving skills, and good communication. If you have all that, you’re unstoppable. 

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