Valerie Steinbrugge
Sr Product Manager
eBay - we connect buyers to sellers through technology, opening retail opportunities globally to people with diverse economic realities.
Within analytics (data used to learn, evaluate, and make decisions), I lead teams to understand and apply processes to protect data created by eBay users as they use eBay. I also run a training program for analytics users and engineers, delivering about 100 classes a year globally.
I love to coach and teach and think creatively. I'm an introvert but recognize that I'm happier when I'm forced to have more people interaction. I'm a connector that learns, reads, and interviews people to figure out what my analytics team needs to know to take action. I'm a conduit, translator, and educator in an area of work (analytics) that is both logical and creative.
I attend lots of meetings: creative brainstorming meetings where we figure out what to do, meetings where I teach others what they will be doing, and then status meetings were we discuss progress. Between meetings I document what I've learned and organize and communicate information. Sometimes I still get to code to collect stats and visualize data.
It took me 8 years in college to figure out what I wanted to do. I started with a degree in Dance, finished pre-med and finally found computer science. I got a job answering phones for Capital One when I was in University for health insurance and for tuition reimbursement. Step by step I transitioned from the phones to IT. I then tried consulting for a software company where I got to travel to big companies that hailed me as "the expert" (great for your ego and experience). By consulting I was able to experience what it's like to work for lots of different companies which helped me to decide that ebay was the right fit for me and also left me confident in my skills and ability to be resilient.
I've always been able to evolve my current role to grow with me. For example, the training program I currently run came from a short term project a colleague had been assigned. I offered to help. When the short term project ended, I brainstormed on how to make the training sustainable, low cost program and pitched it to my manager. Every year I brainstorm on how to grow the program and it's now considered a critical service offered by my organization. I document EVERYTHING so that when I want to shift focus, I can hand off what I'm doing to someone else and move to the next interesting thing.
I still dance! I take ballet and sometimes Nia. I played roller derby for 10 years (derby name, "Rita Manual"). I still coach roller derby and roller skate regularly. I play LOTS of computer games (Minecraft, Stardew Valley, and other management games). I have made a hobby out of living a low-waste and sustainable lifestyle.
More of a personal mantra: Better, not perfect