Allison Hall McGinniss
Quick Responder

Allison Hall McGinniss

Head of Engineering @ Desmos Studio | ex-brightwheel, ex-LinkedIn
Helping engineers become leaders and leaders thrive at startups | EdTech & early-stage specialist
United States of America Active this week Usually responds in a few hours

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About

Hi, I'm Allison! If you're an engineer interested in your first management role, a new engineering manager trying to find your footing, or a leader trying to scale your engineering team, I'm here to help.

I've spent 12+ years in software, with my career spanning individual contributor to engineering leader at both large and small companies. I began my career as a Frontend Engineer at LinkedIn before joining Brightwheel, an early edtech startup, as their first dedicated FE hire post-Series A. Over six years there, I transitioned from individual contributor to leading a 15 person team responsible for all their billing efforts. Today at Desmos Studio, I'm focused on leading and growing a team building the user experience outside of the core calculators. I love the "zero-to-one" phase of a startup and the unique challenges of scaling an engineering team.

We’ll be a great match if you’re:
* A startup leader looking to put some consistent process and practices in place as you scale your early engineering team
* An IC ready to move into management or a newer EM who wants to lead with more confidence
* An eng leader thinking about how to thoughtfully and strategically integrate AI tools into your engineering workflows
* Someone who wants a hiring manager's honest take on what makes candidates stand out at startups
* An engineer considering or navigating the jump from a large company to an early-stage startup

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