Women's History Month: Meet our Solutions Engineer Christina

????’?? ??????????'?? ?????????????? ??????????! ???? ??????????????, ?????????? ?????????????????????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????????? ?????? ???? ?????????????????? ??????????’?? ?????????????? ??????????, ???? ???????? ???? ?????????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???? ???????? ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????????????? ???????? ????. ??????????, ?????????????????? ??????????????????, ?????????????????? ????????????????, ???????????? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????????????? ???????? ????.

What drew you to work at Optibus?

I recently joined Optibus after 6+ years in the public sector. I was drawn to the company because of its mission - to make buses better. Buses are the workhorses of the transportation system in American cities but are often so underappreciated. I had also heard great things about the culture of Optibus from a friend!

What is your job at Optibus and what is your daily work like?

I'm a Solution Engineer on the North America Customer Success team based in New York City. Most of my day-to-day right now is working on the rollout of Optibus' new Operations module. I've been thankful for the ability to work very closely with clients and our Product team on this exciting project, and continually immerse myself in the complex world of bus operations.

What woman has most influenced you in your life and/or career?

My mom. She studied computer programming in the late 1960s when very few women (or people) were in the field. She's always told me she liked programming because it felt like a puzzle she was trying to solve, and I think I'm happiest when I can get that same joy from work.?

Best advice you’ve ever been given?

Not a piece of advice, per se, but when one of my friends or I are unsure about taking the next step or making a career pivot, she will break out a packet of post-it notes and we’ll write down many potential goals and possible paths to see what feels right. I've found that giving oneself permission to explore the whole world of possibilities before making a choice can be easier than trying to chart the next step from a narrow set of options.?

What advice would you give to women who wish to start their careers in a tech company?

I've found that coming in confidently and taking the lead on something right away is highly rewarded. I would also say, especially for younger women, to not be afraid to assert yourself. There's a huge difference between being aggressive and being assertive, but women are often taught that one equals the other, which is simply not the case.?

What challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?

Every sector has its tradeoffs. While one can drive real, lasting progress in the public sector, doing so involves navigating all sorts of political, economic and organizational constraints at once. I learned so much by being open to change, and taking on several roles to understand different levers of influence and impact. Those experiences gave me deep respect for the public sector clients I now partner with at Optibus.

What do you like to do outside of work??

I enjoy exploring new-to-me neighbourhoods, long catch-ups over orange wine with friends, playing with my rescue pup, and eating my husband's cooking.

?????????????? ???????????????????? ??????????'?? ?????????????? ??????????! ???? ???????????? ????????????????, ???????????????? ?????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????? ?????? ?????????????????? ???? ??????, ???????? ????! ?????????? ???????? ???? ??????????://??????.??????????????.??????/????????/