We're thrilled to share the news that Sarah O'Keefe is joining Resend.
Today, we're excited to share that Sarah O'Keefe is joining the team.
Most recently, Sarah worked as a full-stack engineer at a startup building mobile apps. Before that, she was a front-end engineer at iHeartRadio. Throughout her roles, she's actively led community meetups both within her companies and in her local community. She comes to us with a passion for helping developers connect with each other and get the most out of their tooling.
Her deep technical knowledge paired with her skill as a communicator and educator perfectly positions her to help us better care for our customers. We're excited to have her lead our efforts with the Resend community.
How did you get into software?
I originally started teaching myself how to code while I was in law school (when I very likely should've had my head in a case brief instead). Once I realized how much I enjoyed it, I dropped out of law school, enrolled in a full-time coding bootcamp, and eventually landed my first job as a full-stack developer at a startup in Nashville, TN.
What does your desktop/home screen look like?
Pretty minimal, aside from a few apps I use daily and one extremely important folder that I absolutely cannot elaborate on.
Why are you at Resend?
I love building things, but I've always been just as (if not more) interested in the people building them. The developer community is full of ridiculously creative, curious people, and I wanted to work somewhere that really values that.
What drew me to Resend wasn't just the product (although making email less painful is compelling). It was the people. I actually got to know quite a few people on the team before I joined, and every conversation made me more certain that this was somewhere I wanted to be. I feel really lucky that I get to help make the developer experience even better and build relationships with the people using what we're making.
Where do you find #inspiration?
Mostly music, books, and conversations with interesting people. I've played piano since I was five, and I think being a musician has shaped the way I approach pretty much everything, including programming. I also believe that inspiration rarely comes when you're actively looking for it. Sometimes it's something you read, or a song you hear, or a conversation you weren't expecting.
One of my first jobs was waitressing at a local Italian restaurant, and I loved getting to meet so many different people and hear their stories. This idea that you could end your day on a completely different path than the one you started on, based solely on who you meet and what you do, is something that's always stuck with me. Now I get to meet even more interesting people, hear their stories, and hopefully help them bring some pretty incredible ideas to life.
If you weren't programming, what would you be doing?
As much as I want to say something like "rock star" or "professional pianist," I think I'd be a high school band director. I've always loved teaching, and my band directors were some of the most influential people in my life.
Though I also really love flying planes, so there's a decent chance I'd be a commercial pilot instead.
Favorite tool?
Not exactly technical, but my Pilot Vanishing Point fountain pen is a tool I use all day, every day. I still love writing by hand, and the ritual of refilling the ink with various colors is very satisfying. It's also a great way to waste time and make a huge mess.
Favorite hotkey?
Can I say ⌘ + Z? In code and in life, I appreciate a second chance. And a third.
Favorite place to visit?
Copenhagen, Denmark. I've only been once, but I fell completely in love with the city. The architecture, the design, the pastries, the fact that everyone and their dog rides a bicycle. I think about going back often.
Advice for ambitious software engineers?
Don't underestimate the value of building relationships. Learn as much as you can, build things that excite you, and don't be afraid to put yourself out there, even if you feel wildly unqualified. Some of the best opportunities I've had came from conversations I never expected to be in. Being a great engineer is important, and your technical skills will open doors, but the relationships you build can take you places you never even knew existed.