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Mia Ferguson
in the pursuit of let's-live-first infra
Professional Background
Mia Ferguson is an accomplished DevOps, Infrastructure, and Compliance Engineer, who has dedicated her career to championing a culture of warmth, curiosity, and intentionality within organizations. With a steadfast emphasis on security, Mia successfully supports end-to-end pipelines and site reliability, representing a bridge between complex engineering processes and high-level organizational goals. Over the years, she has refined her expertise across various roles, including platform engineering, site reliability engineering, release management, and IT, with notable experience in movement building and organizing.
Mia’s career journey showcases her commitment to societal betterment. She actively pursues equity and sustainability in all aspects of her work, believing that technology often arises from contexts of stolen land and wealth. This perspective prompts her and the teams she collaborates with to consider their resources critically and apply them intentionally for positive impact.
Education and Achievements
Mia's educational background is a blend of technical and social sciences, giving her unique insights into the intersections of technology and culture. She attended the Winsor School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Engineering, along with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and Anthropology from Swarthmore College. Through this comprehensive education, Mia cultivated a thorough understanding of human systems that inform her professional practices.
Her professional journey encompasses a myriad of roles where she has demonstrated both technical prowess and leadership capabilities. As the former Technical Lead/Manager of IT Infrastructure at Aurora, she successfully implemented innovative infrastructure strategies that aligned with the company’s objectives. Her role as a DevOps Engineer at Aurora allowed her to deepen her expertise in automation and process optimization.
Moreover, Mia has held vital positions such as Senior Software Engineer - Operations at Rad AI and Freelance Infrastructure Engineer, demonstrating her agility in adapting to diverse work environments. Her earlier experiences as an Infrastructure Engineer at Grand Rounds, Inc., and Software Engineer at Tivix, Inc., further solidified her strong foundation in software development and operational excellence.
In addition, Mia has served as a proactive educator, having led initiatives to teach Java at iDTech Camps and foster young talent in the technology field. During her tenure as a Co-Founder at End Rape on Campus, she demonstrated her commitment to social justice through advocacy and community engagement.
Notable Contributions
Mia's work is characterized by her unique approach rooted in anthropology, transforming the landscape of DevOps with a focus on intentional collaboration and self-liberation. Her perspective emphasizes that successful development operations are achieved through mutual understanding and respect among team members. By fostering environments where collaboration is prioritized, Mia aims to create happier teams and produce stable, reliable products.
In her engagements, Mia has been known to explore questions that probe deeper into individual and team dynamics, such as: "What helps you balance?" and "How are you supported amidst change?" This intrinsic curiosity reflects her nerdiest passion for understanding consciousness and collaboration in the workplace.
Mia takes pride in her capacity to help others navigate their professional journeys, offering insights about the tools and frameworks available to enhance work satisfaction and drive equity. Her mission extends toward seeking practices that promote peace in the workplace while encouraging the necessary self-reflection needed to reconcile personal values with the realities of working within systems that perpetuate inequality.
By sharing her knowledge on effective technologies, Mia empowers individuals to harness their potential and achieve the impact they desire in their fields. Her advocacy for equity and sustainability fosters a holistic approach to technology that seeks solutions to the systemic challenges faced within today's industries.
Mia Ferguson exemplifies the blending of deep technical acumen with a sociocultural lens, making her a unique asset in the realm of engineering and compliance. Her ongoing commitment to cultivating healthier teams and environments is a testament to her dedication to a future where technology serves everyone equitably.
Achievements
- Technical Leadership: Successfully led infrastructure initiatives that prioritize security and reliability at Aurora.
- Education Advocacy: Co-founded End Rape on Campus, demonstrating a commitment to social justice and community empowerment.
- Collaborative Culture: Promoted intentional collaborations within engineering teams leading to enhanced work satisfaction and productivity.
Contributions to Curriculum Development**: Developed and taught Java programming to young minds at iDTech Camps.
- Diverse Professional Background: Gained experience in various roles such as Software Engineer, Infrastructure Engineer, and Operations Engineer, building comprehensive expertise across tech domains.
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Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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