The people at Marin are as unique as the work we do. Our Life at Marin series highlights the expertise, passions, and backgrounds of our fellow Marinites.
What do you currently do at Marin Software? Were there other roles that you previously held here?
As SVP Engineering, I’m responsible for most of the development (with the exception of social and display development) and Quality Engineering at Marin. My career at Marin has always been in Engineering, starting as Director, then Senior Director, then VP.
What motivated you to join Marin Software?
The people—the interview panel was impressive. I was also attracted by the opportunity to work with a team in China, something I’d always wanted to do.
What is it about your team that you’re most proud of?
Watching the Shanghai team grow from a handful of contractors working on non-customer-facing issues, to a full-fledged subsidiary with around 20 full-time employees who can deliver on most of the existing search functionality.
Is there one thing you can share that you’ve done and are most proud of?
Creating my own Internet startup with a grad school buddy. We raised tens of millions from VCs to build a company around online communities supported by a targeted-ad business model, and later reinvented it to become a streaming video service provider. We grew to around 40 employees, and kept the company going for about eight years.
What was your former professional life?
I’ve worked in the software industry my entire career. I was a developer on the Purify memory-error detection tool at Pure Software before starting my own company. I also worked on a MATLAB to C compiler and at a voice application service provider, where I managed outsourced teams in India.
What are your interests / hobbies?
I like history, travel, cooking, and spending time with my family.
What are you reading now?
Agile Testing: A Practical Guide for Testers and Agile Teams, by Lisa Crispin and Janet Gregory.
During my commute, I listen to many audiobooks. I just finished What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America,
1815-1848, by Daniel Walker Howe.
Now, I’m listening to Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath, by Ted Koppel.
Which person or organization do you admire most? Why?
George Washington—not only did he lead the Continental Army to victory against all odds, he retired from the presidency after two terms, establishing the tradition of peaceful transition of power in the United States.
