We sit down with Ashley Ryan, Principal Software Engineer (UI) at VistaPrint, who shares her fascinating career journey from early web development days tweaking CSS on Neopets and Livejournal, to her significant roles at the US Department of Transportation, Harvard University Endowment, VMware, and ultimately her current position at VistaPrint.
We delve into her experiences transitioning between companies, the rewarding aspects of leading tech teams, and the challenges faced by mid-level women in engineering, particularly in roles involving “glue work.”
In this video, she offers invaluable advice for aspiring tech leaders, discusses the critical role of design systems in product development, and provides insights into managing a global team across multiple countries. Additionally, she reflects on her return to VistaPrint, what drew her back, and her future aspirations, including a potential move into engineering management.
In this video, we ask Ashley the following questions:
- You’ve transitioned between different companies and roles within tech. How did your experiences at places like VMware and your return to VistaPrint shape your career path?
- In your experience, what challenges do mid-level women in engineering often face, particularly in roles that may involve a lot of “glue work” or supporting roles?
- For those aspiring to advance in their tech careers, what advice would you give, especially for women looking to move into leadership roles?
- Global Team Management: Managing a global team across different countries must come with unique challenges. How do you navigate these challenges and foster effective collaboration within your team?
- What drew you back to VistaPrint after your experience at VMware, and how has your perspective changed since your return?
- You mentioned exploring engineering management. What excites you about this potential transition, and what skills or experiences are you focusing on to prepare for it?
