Bringing 7+ years of software engineering expertise, I'm passionate about both coding and championing women in tech. I actively engage in initiatives to promote diversity and equality within the industry, from mentoring aspiring women technologists to supporting diversity programs. My goal is to empower and inspire the next generation of women in technology, making our field more inclusive and equitable.
- Website: donajoseph.com
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/donamj
- Email: mdonajose@gmail.com
- Github: github.com/donamj
- City: Dallas, TX
I’m Dona, and I currently work at Dropbox as a Full Stack Developer. In my previous experience, I have worked on both legacy systems and 0-1 initiatives. During my time at Microsoft, I was involved in an incubation project that started with a team of two engineers and grew into a fully funded initiative with eight engineers. I had the opportunity to work on the project from its inception, gaining valuable experience in driving features from architectural design to the final product release. This encompassed tasks such as setting up deployment pipelines, managing permissions, and integrating various components.
In my current role, I have successfully led multiple projects to completion. Some notable achievements include implementing custom rules for file grouping, automating file organization and naming conventions, and developing transcript extraction for video files. These experiences highlight my ability to deliver results and my proficiency in managing diverse tasks.
Moreover, I take pride in my ability to quickly adapt and learn in dynamic environments. Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated my capability to grasp new concepts rapidly and effectively navigate challenging situations. For instance, during my tenure at Microsoft, I proactively acquired knowledge in React and front-end development to scale a project, which exemplifies my dedication to acquiring new skills to meet evolving job requirements.
Additionally, I actively participate in women in tech initiatives both in my current and previous workplaces. I am the founder and leader of the Dallas AnitaB.org local community, which is the largest organization supporting women in technology. In this capacity, I have successfully organized events in Dallas, demonstrating my commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in the industry. I am also selected as Google Women Techmakers Ambassador.
Professional Experience
Software Engineer
Dropbox
Nov 2021 - Present | Dallas, TX
- Developed APIs for organizing folders, letting users set personalized rules based on keywords, dates, size, extensions, etc, along with rule automation. About 3.2M files are organized using multi file organize each week.
- Updated naming convention UI, incorporating keyword rules and custom positioning, leading to a 712% increase in organized files and a 300% improvement in rule application compared to the previous system.
- Led the initiative to introduce ML based search functionality for video content.
- Worked on developing a new surface in Dropbox that homes video files and let user perform various file actions (edit, share, etc.)
- Worked in Dropbox's rich media feedback too, Replay.
- Improved team process and on-call rotation by setting proper guidelines.
Software Engineer II
Microsoft
Jun 2019 – Nov 2021 | Redmond, WA
- Initial team member of 0-1 initiative - a react based dashboard to track Office Online customer metrics (usage, reliability, performance and monthly ranking).
- Led design and development of drill down pages for core metrics and customer cohorts.
- Designed database schema to store metrics extracted from Office Online telemetry.
- Integrated Azure resources like AAD, Anomaly detector, Cognitive services, Application Insights, etc, to the dashboard for authentication, translation logging, etc.
- Led engineering effort to avoid PII leak across Office Online org.
- Developed enhanced PII leak detection tool with advanced queries and created a PowerBI dashboard to track the bugs. Updated tool reduced false positives by 60%.
Senior Software Engineer
Visa Inc
Jun 2017 - Jun 2019 | Foster City, CA
- Re-architected customer data storage system to use NoSQL(Cassandra) instead of Oracle.
- Developed payment gateways for new customers and enhanced existing gateways. Implemented multi-level indexed field parsing from raw to JSON format for transaction flow from authorization to processing. In the process, increased the code coverage by 10%.
- Led an initiative to improve code coverage across the org, resulting in 27% increase.
- Refactored a large artifact by breaking it into smaller artifacts to reduce dependencies between components. This optimized transaction processing and build time for dependent components decreased by 50%.
- Improved developer environment by integrating Docker and JRebel.
Software Developer Intern
Sabre Airline Solutions
Jun 2016 - Aug 2016 | Southlake, TX
- Developed a log analyzer tool using ELK (Elastic Search, Kibana and Logstash) stack and shell script to analyze the log files generated by the Flight Schedule Manager.
- Wrote a script to extract data from log files and generated visual report.
Programmer Analyst
Cognizant
Aug 2014 - Jun 2015 | Bangalore, India
- Implemented deposit, withdrawal of money from accounts, bank statement generation for a Bank Management System using Java, HTML and CSS.
- Handled database management and integration of other modules in MySQL.
Education
Master's in Computer Science
2015 - 2017
University of Texas at Arlington
Bachelor's in Computer Science
2010 - 2014
Rajagiri School of Engineering, India
Skills
Below, you'll find a selection of skills that distinguish me. However, my abilities extend beyond this list.
Contributions Beyond Career
My journey extends beyond professional pursuits. I believe in giving back to the community and making a positive impact. I've had the privilege of working with various organizations and causes close to my heart, striving to create a better world one small act of kindness at a time. Explore my volunteering endeavors and the causes that drive me to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
Regional Community Leader at AnitaB.org
AnitaB.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing women and underrepresented communities in technology. Founded in 1997, the organization is named after Anita Borg, a computer scientist who advocated for greater gender diversity in the tech industry.
Since relocating to Dallas and transitioning to remote work, I've sensed a noticeable gap in my ability to connect with like-minded individuals in the tech industry. This feeling of disconnection inspired me to take the initiative and establish a local chapter of AnitaB.org right here in Dallas. I've proudly served as the founding community leader for the Dallas chapter, and throughout our journey, we've organized a diverse range of events and activities to foster a thriving tech community.
Currently, I am part Dallas Community Leadership, as well as Regional Leader, suppporting various local communities in North America.
Google Women Techmakers Ambassador
I was selected as an ambassador for Google Women Techmakers recently. Google WTM Ambassador program is an initiative by Google to recognize and empower women in technology and support diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Women Techmakers is a Google program that provides visibility, community, and resources for women in technology, and the Ambassador program is an extension of this effort.
Google Women Techmakers Ambassadors are individuals who are passionate about supporting and advocating for women and underrepresented groups in the tech field. They play a pivotal role in building and strengthening local tech communities by organizing events, workshops, and initiatives that promote gender diversity and inclusion. These ambassadors are often selected based on their commitment to the cause and their ability to drive change in their respective regions or communities.
Mentor at Women Mentoring Women in Engineering
Women Mentoring Women in Engineering is an organization formed at the University of Texas at Dallas that is focused on helping women in STEM fields do their ultimate best. Students are paired up with professional women currently working in the technology industry or in academia to be mentored for a semester and build a relationship with those familiar with the working environment.
Engineering Buddy at Edlyft
Edlyft is a Black-women-led startup backed by Y-Combinator, Kleiner Perkins, and Kapor Capital, Edlyft provides students across the country with resources, workshops, interview prep, and mentorship opportunities to close the gap for students looking to enter the tech field. The program is for CS students, by former CS students. Many Edlyft participants are women, underrepresented minorities, low income, and first generation.
Dropbox is teaming up with Edlyft to mentor rising Sophomore CS students and build a diverse Emerging Talent pipeline. Last year, Dropbox and Edlyft started a partnership to help develop a support system and connections for students looking to enter the tech industry. As an engineering buddy, I get to inspire and motivate students about the tech industry and help them get ready for live sophomore level internship interviews with Dropbox.
Personal Volunteer Efforts
During my personal time, I'm passionate about mentoring and guiding students and recent graduates, helping them shape their future and kickstart their careers on the path to success.
Mentoring
Having a mentor has significantly shaped my perspective. Whether it's a one-time session or regular mentoring, I find it incredibly fulfilling to engage with young minds, sharing insights and experiences to help them navigate their paths.
Resume Review
I assist students and recent graduates with resume polishing. My discerning eye helps identify and rectify elements that may inadvertently exaggerate or misrepresent qualifications, ensuring that your resume presents an accurate and compelling professional profile.
LinkedIn Profile Review
Throughout my career, I have greatly benefited from the LinkedIn community, which has underscored the importance of having an outstanding LinkedIn profile. I am passionate about helping others harness the full potential of their profiles for networking and professional growth.
Preparing for an International Education
As an international student, I possess firsthand experience in preparing for an international education. I actively assist prospective students in their application preparations, offering guidance to help them navigate the process and steer clear of common pitfalls.
Early Career Interview Preparation
Interview preparation can be quite stressful. To ease this process and provide valuable assistance to others in a similar situation, I make my interview preparation notes available on GitHub for anyone seeking guidance and resources.
Transitiong from student to professional life
When you land your initial job, the shift from student life to the professional world might be challenging. I can offer some helpful tips based on my own transition experience, as well as strategies I've used to assist junior engineers upon joining my team."
Let's Connect!
- Coffee Chat
- Resume and LinkedIn Review
- Mock Interview
- Consultation on International Education