Let’s get Personal: Meet Cynthia

Meet Cynthia, a software engineer who works on government ID and selfie verifications. She shares her favorite things about working at Persona, what inspires her, and how she unwinds after a day of coding in this Q&A.

What does your typical day look like at Persona?

My day starts with a daily standup with the team where we discuss urgent blockers, any incident remediation, and our plans for the day. Then I have some collaboration time and meetings before lunch. I really enjoy lunch because it’s a chance to meet new folks, mingle with other teams, and catch up with co-workers.

In the afternoon, I have focus time for getting things done, followed by engineering meetings on cross-functional projects and account team meetings on new product features, demos, and rollouts. I often wrap up my day with hangouts with co-workers — whether it’s grabbing burgers, watching movies, or just spending time together. Outside of work, I enjoy building LEGO sets, puzzles, and just about anything I can make with my hands.

What drew you to Persona, and what made you say yes to joining the team?

I was a Waterloo intern when I first joined Persona, when we were only around 160 people. It was the best internship I had, with a great team atmosphere, a motivating work environment, and the opportunity to make new friends in the city. There were always challenging problems to solve and new ways to improve our product, and my mentors and manager consistently provided constructive feedback that pushed me to reflect on and strengthen my technical designs and implementations.

I’ve interned at companies both big and small, but Persona was the place where I truly believed I could grow, both in my technical skills and career, while helping build a product that changes people’s lives.

Tell us something unexpected about you, such as a hidden talent, unique hobby, or surprising fact.

I’m a foodie — I love exploring restaurants and bakeries in SF and while I travel around the world. I also love to cook and bake.

What’s a recent win or moment at Persona that made you proud?

Not particularly recent, but being part of the Roblox launch working group at the end of last year was a proud moment for me. I helped ensure our government ID and selfie services remained stable while scaling for Roblox’s unprecedented launch volume. I couldn’t have done it without the whole team helping each other and sharing knowledge around various technical aspects of our complex system.

If you could describe your work style in three words, what would they be?

Collaborative, thoughtful, and pragmatic.

I like to scope out a design and gather feedback from relevant experts — product, engineering, design, and account teams. My attention to detail has helped me make the best design decisions based on how both internal and end users will interact with our product. I like to focus on shipping rather than agonizing over writing the “perfect” code.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone joining Persona today?

Don’t be shy! Everyone at Persona is super friendly and will do their best to help you onboard and get up to speed on the team.

What’s something about Persona’s culture or mission that really resonates with you?

The People First culture is the thing I love most and make the effort to maintain at Persona. Our accomplishments aren’t possible without our teammates, who are always humble enough to learn from each other, support one another, and stretch themselves beyond the minimum job requirements. I truly believe that the team is making a positive difference in the world.

What’s your current favorite way to unwind after work?

Slay the Spire 2 — I’ve been addicted to the game since its launch. I was a big fan of the first game, and it’s a fun mental exercise after work.

I’m also a huge soccer fan! I’ve been an avid soccer fan since 2014. Go Canada!

What’s a place (restaurant, coffee shop, park, city) that feels special to you, and what would you recommend there?

Paper Son! I highly recommend it near our office. Paper Son has a great selection of coffee, specialty drinks, and pastries at reasonable SF prices. The place is special for me since I met a lot of new coffee friends there.