We’re thrilled to welcome our newest hire, Luisa Morales!

Luisa is joining Holly as a Staff Software Engineer, specializing in data and AI. She’s a lifelong New Yorker, world traveler, and mission-driven engineer.

We sat down with her to ask about her path to Holly, what she's looking forward to accomplishing here, and what three items she couldn't survive without.

‍

What drew you to working for Holly?

Holly itself. When I transitioned into software engineering as a career, I had a limited view of where I could work in terms of industry or focus area. I volunteered at a BetaNYC event and met someone who was completing a product management fellowship at the NYC Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity (NYCO). They told me about the work they were doing and a few weeks later when they posted about software engineering fellowship applications opening, I applied. A few weeks after that we were working together. The fellowship, and BetaNYC, expanded my view of where and what I could work on. Holly brings together the mission-driven work I enjoy doing and the startup environment I was looking for. ‍

What drew you to being a data and AI engineer?

‍The focus on data and AI. Working with public data is something I really enjoyed in my previous role and am excited to continue doing at Holly. The opportunity to leverage different AI tooling across my workflow and also within the product to enable city and county governments to better manage their workforce is a really unique and exciting growth opportunity.

What’s something about your background that might surprise people?

‍I learned to code in high school but didn’t realize it was a viable career option until my sophomore year of undergrad. I assumed everyone was learning to code as part of the high school curriculum. I didn’t know anyone that was a software engineer so I viewed it as a skill but not necessarily a career path. In my house, we talked about careers in finance, law, medicine. Even after learning I could be a software engineer professionally, I didn’t see myself in the role. At that time I was more curious about economics and how it's practically embedded in everything but mostly invisible, similar to computer science today. After a couple more life turns, I taught myself to code, got an internship and have been a software engineer since.

What are you most excited about your time at Holly?

‍City and county government employees play an integral role in our day-to-day well-being.  I'm excited about giving time back to government workers who are involved in the HR process so they can reallocate some of their often stretched-thin capacity towards other high leverage areas and the positive impact of that shift on their communities.

What three material objects could you not survive without?

‍My phone, chapstick, coffee (not necessarily in that order.)

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

‍Don't let someone else's ignorance impact how you see yourself.

What could you give a TED talk about impromptu?

How envisioning your future self can help you make wiser decisions in the present.

‍

Luisa, we're so happy to have you!