About Kelly

Background

I'm currently a Sr. Engineering Manager at Zapier, where I lead teams building products that millions of people use to automate their work. Before this, I was Director of Engineering & Product Lead at an AI startup, and before _that_, I ran a development agency for a decade.

My path to leadership wasn't linear. Like many technical leaders, I started as an engineer who was good at code and accidentally decent at people. The transition to management (especially as I was hirng engineers for my own company) felt like a totally different world. Suddenly the skills that made me successful as a freelancer and engineer weren't enough anymore. I had to learn a completely new craft, often without good guidance.

That experience shapes everything I write. I know what it's like to feel underprepared for the job. I know the imposter syndrome that comes with leading people who might be technically better than you. And I know how frustrating it is when leadership advice comes from people who've never done the actual work.

What makes The Modern Leader different

I have a low tolerance for BS. If I write about something, it's because I've done it, failed at it, learned from it, and developed a framework that actually works. I don't write think pieces about leadership in theory—I write practical guides for leadership in practice.

My approach is simple: take complex leadership concepts, break them into actionable frameworks, skip the motivational poster wisdom. I write for people who want to get better at the job, not people who want to feel good about the job they're doing.

Every piece I publish passes the "would I have found this useful?" test. If it's not something I would have bookmarked and referenced repeatedly, it doesn't go out. I aim for the kind of content where you think "damn, I wish I'd read this three months ago."

I write The Modern Leader like we're two friends sitting at a coffee shop talking about work and life. I don't talk down to you. In fact, you'll often see me sharing the mistakes _I_ made so you don't have to repeat history.

Who this is for (and who it's not for)

This newsletter is for you if:

• You're an individual contributor stepping into your first leadership role
• You're an engineering manager drowning in meetings and wondering when you'll have time to actually lead
• You want frameworks and systems, not inspirational quotes about leadership
• You value honesty over cheerleading—you want someone to tell you what actually works, even if it's not what you want to hear

This probably isn't for you if:

• You're looking for feel-good content that validates everything you're already doing
• You want leadership advice from someone who's never actually led engineers through a production incident or a performance improvement plan
• You're interested in generic management advice that could apply to any role in any industry

What I offer

Outside of work

When I'm not managing (or writing this newsletter), you may find me running outside or at a Pilates class, traveling the world (I'm learning French right now, so I'm spending a lot of time in France), or making the smallest of dents in my never-ending book collection. (I often say I have two distinct hobbies: buying books and reading books.)