At the start of the year, PAIRIN welcomed a new Product leader, Jennifer Stefanacci! We connected with Jennifer to learn more about her background and vision for the product team at PAIRIN.
Q: Jennifer, tell us a little about what brought you to PAIRIN.
A: I was looking for a way to combine my product and education backgrounds, and PAIRIN seemed like it would be a great fit. Once I started talking to people here, I was sold.
Q: What did you do before you joined the PAIRIN team?
A: I have worked on a variety of products – scientific data, cybersecurity, supply chain. Then I took a detour to local government and education. Most recently, I was teaching math and science to middle and high schoolers.
Q: What are you most excited to work on at PAIRIN?
A: I am excited to work with the Product and Engineering teams. They do such amazing work, and I am excited to put the pieces in place to show that off.
Q: As the Head of Product, what are your main responsibilities?
A: Taking the vision and turning it into reality. There are so many great ideas out there. One of the main things that I do is facilitate the decisions about which ones we do first and how to get the most important ones to the customers.
Q: How do you build strong product & engineering teams?
A: Lots of communication. It is a lot easier to get things done when we are all on the same page.
Q: How would you describe your leadership style?
A: I am very collaborative and love to see people reach their goals, so I tend to have a very growth mindset approach to leading. I have a “What can we do better tomorrow than we did today?” kind of thinking. That may explain the teaching as well.
Q: How do you keep up-to-date with emerging trends, ideas and frameworks in the world of product management?
A: There are some great podcasts from the Pragmatic Institute that cover a wide range of product topics. I also read a lot – most recently about remote working and how it can be both an equalizer and a barrier.
Q: What are some of your hobbies and interests?!
A: I am a big fan of science fiction books and movies. I grew up in Colorado so I love anything outdoors, especially hiking and birding. There are some amazing places to see wildlife right here in Denver.