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Redefining Tech: Supporting Women Engineers at Attentive

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“I’ve always been more interested in the future than in the past.” - Grace Hopper

The tech industry is evolving, and with it, so is the face of engineering. Once a field predominantly occupied by men, today’s engineering teams are becoming more diverse and inclusive, paving the way for the next generation of innovators. At Attentive, we believe that fostering this transformation is essential—not just for the industry’s future but also for building a stronger, more innovative company today.  

Our engineering organization, which powers cutting-edge solutions for thousands of brands, exemplifies this shift. Women engineers at Attentive are not only contributing to product innovation but also challenging stereotypes and building a more inclusive path for others to follow. And we’re committed to supporting them every step of the way—both through internal programs and by engaging with broader industry movements like the Grace Hopper Celebration.  

Leading the way at the Grace Hopper Celebration

This year, we proudly sent members of our Engineering team to the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC)— the world’s largest gathering of women and nonbinary technologists. GHC offers a platform for women to share their expertise, connect with peers, and reflect on their journeys in tech. 

We spoke to two of our engineers about their biggest takeaways, favorite moments, and their vision for the future of women in tech.

Meet the team

Marie

Marie joined Attentive in 2021 and has been sharpening her skills ever since. Currently a Software Engineer II on the Message Integrations team—after being promoted from Software Engineer I—Marie explains her team’s critical role: "We’re responsible for ensuring billions of texts and emails are sent seamlessly for our customers, and we also maintain audit and deliverability information for past sends."


Sarah

Sarah, who also joined Attentive as a Software Engineer in 2021, has since advanced to Engineering Manager, where she now leads the Integrations team. Her team oversees building and maintaining all of our partner and customer integrations. In a previous Q&A, Sarah shared, “The part of my current role that I’m most excited about is helping my team grow.” And she’s leading by example, prioritizing her own growth at Grace Hopper.


Fostering a sense of belonging

What struck both Marie and Sarah was the overwhelming sense of having “made it” in tech. “I feel empowered knowing that I could be giving one of these talks someday soon,” Sarah muses.

Similarly, Marie found herself reassured by the fact that industry leaders around her were now her peers. “I was sitting in a talk about software migrations and found myself engaging on a technical level. It was a reminder that I have a place in this industry, that I speak the shared language of technology, and that I belong here.”

Tailoring the experience

The Grace Hopper Celebration provided more than technical insights. It also created a space for attendees to connect with others from diverse backgrounds and identities, reinforcing the importance of intersectionality in tech.  

Marie, who identifies as gender non-conforming, found the strong LGBTQ+ presence at Grace Hopper particularly valuable. “As a gender non-conforming person, I sometimes feel like a minority within a minority at women-in-tech events. It was affirming to see acknowledgment and validation that I belong in tech,” she reflects.

Meanwhile, Sarah tailored her conference experience toward leadership development. “I attended ‘Leadership Philosophies, Mindsets, and Habits,’ which was interactive and gave me the chance to network with other Engineering Managers,” she recalls. “It was nice to hear their experiences and relate them back to my own. I left with actionable tips, like the SCARF Model, for making employees feel valued and engaged.”

Creating change from within: the role of AWE

While attending external conferences like GHC is valuable, real change happens within our walls. At Attentive, we actively cultivate an inclusive environment through our Employee Resource Group (ERG), Attentive Women in Engineering (AWE). 

“AWE is one of my favorite parts of Attentive,” Marie says. “It’s close-knit and supportive, and having this investment in ongoing development feels like a form of recognition.”

AWE goes beyond community-building by actively working with our Recruiting team to refine hiring processes. “Engineering interview questions can unintentionally eliminate more women from the hiring process,” our Director of Recruiting, Margho Dunnahoo-Kirsch, observes. “We discovered that interviews focused more on abstract problems and less on practical, real-world scenarios— like the ones you would work on at Attentive— may alienate some women who bring valuable experience but haven’t had extensive preparation in solving trick questions. This is one of the several changes we made to make our interview process as inclusive as possible.”

Empowering women through development and mentorship

At Attentive, our commitment to gender diversity extends beyond recruitment. We invest in the ongoing growth and development of our engineers through mentorship programs, book clubs, and speaker events.  

Sarah notes that AWE’s efforts have already made an impact. “We bring in speakers like Tanya Reilly, a Principal Engineer at Datadog, to inspire our team and share career development insights. Internal panels and networking events also provide opportunities for us to learn from each other and grow.”  

These initiatives ensure that women at Attentive feel empowered to advance their careers. However, Marie emphasizes the importance of visibility: “It’s crucial that our accomplishments are recognized. We don’t want our success to be diminished by assumptions about diversity hiring.”  

Looking ahead: a vision for the future

While Attentive has made significant progress in creating a more inclusive engineering culture, there is always room to grow. Sarah and Marie both express hope for more women to not only enter the tech industry but also remain and thrive in it.  

“I feel more comfortable here than I have at other companies,” Marie says. “My colleagues respect me based on my skills, not my gender. But we need to continue this momentum—more women in leadership, more inclusive policies, and more recognition of our contributions.”  

Sarah agrees: “We know that Attentive can’t solve the industry’s gender imbalance on its own, but we can lead by example. We’re committed to making this a place where women feel they belong, and where their talents are nurtured and celebrated.”  

With support from initiatives like AWE and intentional hiring practices, Attentive is helping to reshape the future of engineering. We are proud of the talented women and gender-expansive team members who are not only excelling in their roles but also inspiring the next generation of engineers.   

Join us on this journey

The face of engineering is changing—and Attentive is proud to be part of this transformation. If you’re passionate about building an inclusive future in tech, explore our open roles and join a team committed to driving change from within.  

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