A. J. Oxendine is the Tech Lead and Staff Software Engineer for the Home Feed product at Pinterest. She enjoys the creative process of building new things, figuring out how they work, and how she can make them better. This passion has led her to study music composition, art, graphic design. and now, software engineering.

In this episode, we discuss:

• AJ's nontraditional path from design to engineering 
• Thoughts on IC vs management 
• Skills and mindset shifts from Senior to Staff Engineer 
• Tips on gaining visibility for your work
• Expanding and refining your brand as your role evolves
• Thoughts on navigating diversity, intersectionality, and tech
• Maintaining mentoring relationships 

Additional Resources:

• Pinterest Apprenticeship Programs

Where to find A.J. Oxendine:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amirahoxendine/

Where to find Karen Ko:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenko26/