Aja Hammerly is a seasoned developer with over a decade of experience spanning various roles in software development, from being a tester and sys admin to a project manager. As a Developer Relations Manager at Google, she leverages her expertise in Ruby, Ruby on Rails, SQL, Agile/Lean Methods, and Test Driven Development to help Google Cloud develop products that simplify the lives of developers and operators. Aja's background includes experience in eCommerce, ed-tech, data visualization, and service-oriented architectures. Her passion for good software practices includes TDD, frequent releases, and doing the simplest thing that could possibly work, all while valuing the importance of people in any software process.

Aja's management philosophy emphasizes transparency and trust. Her natural inclination is to ensure that any code, product, tool, or team she works on fits seamlessly into the broader product or project. Her expertise as a speaker and coach has made her an excellent communicator, capable of helping teams and individuals see how components of a large system interact and affect one another. With a think-big attitude, Aja hopes to work with machine learning or data mining in the future.