Cisco Engineer Finds Belonging and Success on Her Own Terms

A seasoned engineer recounts her journey to find a workplace where she can be herself and excel professionally.

The author's resume looks like a constellation, with stints at seven different companies over 14 years. She has been a founder, freelancer, startup engineer, product engineer, R&D intern, and voice-core lead, among other roles.

Throughout her career, she has been driven by curiosity, often taking on projects outside of her job description, such as writing the WebRTC Integrator's Guide or building Ramudroid, an open-source robot that picks up litter. These pursuits not only brought her joy but also taught her valuable skills.

The author joins Cisco in 2023 and finds a team where she can combine protocol design, global impact, and belonging. She designs the Tunnel Weight Algorithm, which now runs across tens of thousands of tunnels serving over a thousand international enterprises. She becomes the recognized subject-matter expert for the protocol stack and takes on critical incident response.

The author credits Cisco with allowing her to be herself without compartmentalizing her interests or identity. She encourages others who feel they have to choose between being professional and themselves to explore opportunities at Cisco, where she finally feels like she's found a place that values her unique strengths and passions.