The One Where I Found My Way to DevRel

If you’ve watched Friends, you’ll know that life rarely goes according to plan. One day, you’re helping a friend move a couch while yelling “Pivot!”, and the next, you’re wondering how you ended up there in the first place.

My career has felt a little like that.

Growing up, I was always drawn to creative pursuits. You could usually find me with a book in hand, experimenting with calligraphy, sketching something random, writing poetry, baking a new dessert, or trying out a recipe I found somewhere online. Technology wasn’t the obvious destination (even though I love building!), storytelling was.

That love for explaining things eventually led me into technical writing.

Building docs for developers

I started working with startups, creating everything from API documentation and user guides to onboarding content and developer-facing resources. I loved the challenge of taking something complex and making it easier to understand. There was something deeply satisfying about helping someone go from “What does this even mean?” to “Oh, now I get it.”

For a while, I thought documentation was the destination. Plot twist! It wasn’t.

When I joined JDoodle (an web-based IDE), I found myself spending more time talking to developers. I wasn’t just writing for them anymore. I was listening to them, learning how they built things, understanding their frustrations, and seeing firsthand what made them excited about technology.

The more conversations I had, the more I realized something. The thing I enjoyed most wasn’t just creating documentation. It was connecting with people.

Finding my place in devrel

I started attending developer events and conferences. Then came product demos. Then booth duty. Then community conversations. Then hackathons. Then organizing internal events.

Somewhere along the way, what started as “I need to understand developers better so I can write better documentation” turned into “I genuinely love being part of developer communities.”

I discovered that my favorite moments weren’t necessarily publishing a new document or updating an API reference.

They were moments like:

• Watching a developer finally solve a problem after a conversation.
• Seeing people get excited during a product demo.
• Helping organize hackathons where creativity and technology collide.
• Meeting builders who were passionate about bringing their ideas to life.
• Learning something new from every event I attended.

As it turns out, the skills that drew me to writing in the first place translated surprisingly well into developer advocacy.

At their core, documentation and developer advocacy are both about empathy. They require understanding your audience, telling clear stories, and helping people succeed.

Joining the Okta community

Looking back, it makes perfect sense. The person who loved books, writing, art, and storytelling didn’t leave those interests behind when entering tech. She simply found a new audience.

Today, I’m incredibly excited to continue that journey at Okta.

I’ll be working alongside developers, creators, builders, and community members who are shaping the future of identity and security. I’m looking forward to learning, sharing, creating content, attending events, and most importantly, connecting with the people who make this community so special.

As Phil Dunphy said, “When life gives you lemonade, make lemons. Life will be all like, ‘What?!’” My career may not have followed a traditional path, but somehow it led me exactly where I wanted to be.

I’m excited to meet all of you. If you see me at an event, or find me on socials, come say hello. I’d love to hear what you’re building.