Introducing Cecily Barba: Senior Software Engineer
19 Aug 2025
Hi Cecily! What brings you to Aotearoa New Zealand, and what have you been up to for your first few weeks here since landing?
My family loves to adventure, and we decided New Zealand was the right adventure for us at the right time. The first few weeks we’ve been diving right in – climbing volcanos, rambling over black sand beaches, and relaxing at local cafes. Less fun, but there’s also been a lot of time zone adjustment and furniture assembly. Our toddler has also just learned to climb, so there’s been a mad dash to secure everything to the walls.
Where did you work prior to Devoli and what was your main role there?
I worked for a US healthcare technology company whose goal was to make prescriptions more affordable for Americans. I led several projects and scaled much of their legacy code, as well as implemented new solutions across their technical stack.
What will you be doing at Devoli? Describe your role and how you fit into the wider business?
I’m joining Devoli as a senior engineer with an eye to scalability, growth, and future-forward architecture. I’m excited to help the team reach their maximum velocity and smash their goals.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I’m working on my second book of poetry and essays at the moment, and have already begun to investigate the Auckland slam poetry scene. As a family we love adventuring and do a combination of many things: mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, camping, backpacking, and just general exploring. My husband and I are looking forward to our sailing lessons! That will be a new one for us.
What are you looking forward to most about the coming year, personally and work-wise?
I absolutely cannot wait to see the island bloom in the spring and to feel everything warm up. We’re excited to head down to the South Island and check out the mountains and really dive into the incredible, active geography here.
At work, I’m looking forward to solving problems and getting to know everyone well. I always enjoy the sense of achievement that comes from building cool tech with cool people.