How long have you worked at Brightspot? What brought you here?
I’ve been at Brightspot for over three years. I found Brightspot through the online career fair at James Madison University (it was during COVID, which is why it was online). Even though I met so many friendly faces throughout the online interview process, Brightspot stood out to me because I was looking for a smaller company where I could make an impact. Ultimately, Brightspot was just a great fit for me.
What do you like most about working in quality assurance (QA)?
I really like the detective and problem-solving nature of being a quality assurance engineer. I love details and being deep in the weeds of a product every day brings me a lot of joy. I like trying to find bugs and solving different use cases when I’m testing. The best part about being a QA engineer is getting to be hands-on and seeing all the aspects of the software delivery process. I enjoy collaborating with both engineers and product managers, and I find it rewarding to connect the dots between their respective roles.
Can you tell me more about your role as a Senior QA Engineer? What is a typical day like for you?
No two days look the same, which is one of the things I love about this role. As a Senior QA Engineer, I lead quality assurance for critical projects — right now that includes Google Ads and Google REWS — overseeing the entire life cycle from planning through execution.
Most days start with setting priorities and joining team standups to align on goals and identify blockers. From there, I move into testing tickets and documenting results, often with videos to capture what I’m seeing in the product. I spend a lot of time working closely with product managers and developers, both to answer questions and get clarity on my own, which keeps the process collaborative. Recently, I’ve also taken on automation, which involves writing test cases, debugging and maintaining the framework to streamline regression testing alongside my manual QA testing.
You’ve worked on lots of interesting projects over the past three years. Is there a particular one that stands out to you? If so, why?
I used to work on NBC Sports and really loved that project. It was rewarding to see how my work directly benefited users on NBCSports.com. Even though I don’t watch sports often, testing live stats and seeing the data behind the games gave me a fascinating perspective. Following an event and watching those same stats appear in real time showed me how fans engage with sports in so many ways beyond just watching the game.
What’s the best piece of career or life advice that you’ve ever received?
This is a tough one. I’d say never be afraid to jump into uncomfortable situations. If you don’t know something, lean in and use it as an opportunity to learn instead of shying away from the unknown. I’ve learned so much in just three years at Brightspot because I’ve leaned in when I didn’t know something rather than backed down when I might have felt imposter syndrome.
In 2025, you traveled to Turin to volunteer with your co-workers at the Special Olympics Winter World Games. Can you tell me more about what the experience meant to you?
Seeing the joy and sportsmanship from the athletes was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. They inspired me to love others better and be more inclusive. Athletes were lifting each other up and encouraging one another, even if they were from different corners of the globe or had different backgrounds or different intellectual disabilities. It was incredible to watch. Spending my time serving the athletes was an honor and I’m so thankful to have gotten the opportunity to help with the Special Olympics World Games.
Besides the people, what is your favorite part about working at Brightspot?
The people are my obvious first choice, but I also love the culture, which is related. I go into the office three days a week and I love the atmosphere. Brightspot has a very fun, respectful and uplifting culture, and does a really great job of creating a vibrant office environment. Even if I have had a really hard day at work, being in the office always lifts your spirits with lunch, coffee, socialization and smiles. I also love the praise-minded aspect of the culture. I always feel appreciated and acknowledged if I’ve worked really hard at something. Hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed at Brightspot.
What are your favorite activities or hobbies to do outside of the office?
I really love to read and run. I usually run four to five days a week, including before coming into the office in the morning. Starting my day with fresh air and exercise helps me go into the workday feeling my best. I’m actually running a ten-mile race this weekend. Additionally, I love to read rom-coms and fantasy. So far I’ve read about 30 books this year. I also recently got into crocheting and right now I’m working on crocheting a really big blanket.
If you could pick another role to try within Brightspot for one week, which would it be and why?
I’ve thought about this before, and if I could try another role, I’d choose product management for a week to get a different perspective on the delivery life cycle. QA and product both focus on the user, customer requirements and the details that shape the final product, so our mindsets often overlap. Since I’m a detailed and organized person, I think stepping into product management would be a great way to see the other side of the process. It would also give me a broader perspective that I could bring back to my QA role and help me better understand what others on the team are doing.
What’s your favorite place to visit in your free time?
Maine has become a really special place to me. My husband’s family has a house on the coast of Maine in Scarborough, so we try to go there for two weeks every summer. We got engaged there and it has become our spot to get away from the busyness. We enjoy the peace of the waves crashing on the beach, kayaking in the ocean, watching the sunset, eating lobster rolls and visiting lighthouses. It is the perfect getaway for me!
