photographer: carly wollaert © | make-up artist: violeta marinova from art of colors
sarah o’brien(she/her)
senior software engineer (frontend) at adyen
about
i’m a senior software engineer (frontend) and co-lead adyen’s neurodiversity employee resource group. creating safe and inclusive spaces in tech is personal; as a queer, neurodivergent engineer, i know how important representation and belonging are. i studied business information systems rather than computer science and often felt out of depth early in my career, but curiosity, persistence, and a love for problem solving carried me forward. i’ve grown from writing code to leading the creation of complex web systems, learning to balance technical challenges with real user needs. i want my journey to show that anyone can belong in tech.
why do you think it is important that role models need to be visible?
visible role models matter because they show what’s possible. early in my career, i was often the only woman in the room until a woman joined our team as scrum master; the first woman i saw in a leadership capacity. watching how she navigated the space had a huge impact. she became a mentor and friend, guiding me to speak up, take risks, and grow without fear. seeing her succeed made me realise that persistence, curiosity, and confidence matter more than having all the answers. now i want to be that role model, inspiring others to thrive in tech.
adyen
at adyen, we’ve always believed that our strength comes from the people around us and the communities we’re part of. and a core element of the adyen formula is seeking different perspectives to sharpen our ideas. by participating in this campaign, we are bringing this belief to life, highlighting the power of visibility to inspire others and show them what’s possible, because when we show up for one another, we all grow.