Leadership & People Management
As a people manager and team leader, I aim to lead from the back and act with a bias to business impact upon a foundation of empathy. It’s my goal to hire and nurture people who become known within an organization for their rigor, kindness, polish—and results.
Thoughts from some former direct reports:
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Ryan Huff
As my manager for over 6 years, DJ helped me navigate all facets of working as a research professional, ranging from crafting research narratives to presenting to C-suite level clients. Most importantly, he helped shape me into a team leader and coached me on all the dynamics of managing people. This was inclusive of understanding how to communicate to and motivate different personality types, delegate based on strengths and growth opportunities, and balance the needs of the business with the goals of direct reports.
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Melissa Frohman
DJ nurtured my career transition onto our Advanced Analytics team by seeking out and assigning me projects to develop the necessary skills to succeed. DJ maintained an open and transparent, yet reverent leadership style with me - I felt comfortable enough to talk to him about anything, but also respected his decisions and guidance as well. While I learned many things from DJ, his excellent ability to see bigger picture and his storytelling is unmatched and he significantly improved my skill set in those areas through coaching.
Visit Melissa’s LinkedIn. -
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Paula Amaechi
DJ is a beacon of kindness, positivity, reliability, and approachability. His adeptness at navigating difficult conversations, as well as his commitment to offering both career and personal guidance made him not only an incredible manager but an invaluable mentor to everyone on our team!
Visit Paula’s LinkedIn. -
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Rose Pospisil
DJ's leadership skills are exceptional - his tact and empathy created a supportive work environment, fostering collective team success. His clear communication and teaching expertise have significantly contributed to my personal and professional growth. DJ's knack for identifying and assigning projects that expand my skillset has been instrumental in shaping my career. I’m extremely grateful for the privilege of working alongside such an inspiring manager.
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Marco Martinez
DJ is the rare people manager who is both the peer that meets people where they are, and the coach that empowers them to reach the next level. He helped me identify and nourish a passion for thought leadership and research narratives at Twitter, and he fortified my resilience when I missed expectations which made me a better professional and person.
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Janet Kim
DJ has helped me grow exponentially both professionally and personally. By recognizing and amplifying our strengths, he fostered a unique environment for growth and facilitated a journey of continuous improvement. Additionally, I was able to excel in engaging with diverse stakeholders and unlock new levels of collaboration and success across partners under his mentorship.
Visit Janet’s LinkedIn. -
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Carlos Barrero
I owe my start to DJ; a chance encounter at an alumni panel in college turned into an internship which helped me start my journey in martech + SaaS, and what an incredible start it was with DJ's leadership. DJ is an excellent storyteller, a patient coach, and a remarkable leader. He's a no-brainer for any team out there looking to take on tough problem spaces.
Visit Carlos’ LinkedIn. -
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Maeve Peterson
DJ is an inconsummate educator and storyteller, a wizard at weaving tales out of dense datasets. It is a joy to watch him captivate audiences with his unqiue blend of humor and wit.
As my manager, DJ instilled self-confidence and encouraged curiosity that made me the researcher I am today. He crafted weekly 1-1s spark joy and propel my career development. I genuinely looked forward to our meetings - never has a half hour flown so fast. Similarly, he orchestrated team events that maximized bonding, collaboration, and teamwork. As he does with data, he coaches with creativity, compassion, and long-term vision. I am profoundly grateful to have had DJ as a manager, and envy those who have the opportunity to learn from him in future.
Tools to Stay Organized
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Weekly Meeting Agenda Template
Management and leadership are more than the sum of any tactics or tools; tactics and tools can help build and nurture a productive team. At Twitter, I used a similar format to this example weekly meeting agenda to encourage my direct reports to share knowledge, discuss blockers, and learn how to help and uplevel each other. The team enjoyed this format so much that they’d even continue the meeting when I was on PTO.
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1:1 Agenda & Notes Template
In a chaotic environment, it can be challenging to stay aligned on what matters across multiple time horizons; this week’s inbound requests can conflict with this year’s long-term goals. I designed this simple 1:1 template to help my direct reports keep track of what mattered—development feedback, organizational goals, and key metrics—while ensuring that feedback went both ways by highlighting each direct report’s requests for me.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
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Employee Resource Group Leadership: TwitterOpen
When I first joined Twitter, its LGBT group was a social function. In partnership with colleagues, I helped transform TwitterOpen into a global Employee Resource Group (ERG) that helped Twitter Employees from across the gender and sexual orientation spectrum feel seen, discuss relevant challenges, and build community. In my elected role as operational chair of TwitterOpen, I was a key driver of global employee pride efforts. I aligned internal comms and external activations with Twitter's refreshed branding to drive a consistent message across audiences.
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Volunteering at the Neighbornest
I’m always looking for ways to make my community feel even more like home, and I believe volunteering is a crucial avenue toward achieving this goal. To that end, I was fortunate to be part of the volunteer team at Twitter’s Tenderloin NeighborNest when it opened in 2015. Built across the street from HQ in San Francisco, the NeighborNest was constructed to create new possibilities for a diverse community through technology and a love for learning. The space offered classes on resume writing, computer skills, and coding, all while providing childcare services for adult learners.