GigaOM Radar Edge Platform Leader & Outperformer 2024 | 
Q&A with Katherine Giardina, Interconnection Manager
In celebration of Engineers Week 2023, we’re getting to know some of our very own engineers. In this Q&A, we shine the spotlight on Katherine Giardina, Interconnection Manager at Edgio.
Why did you choose to become an engineer?
My father was a mechanical engineer. I’ve been tinkering and fixing things / electronics with him since I was 5. As I grew up, he stressed the importance of the role technology would play in our lives. Thus began my journey; pouting, and dragging my feet, to typing class.
Spoiler alert: I loved it.
What are the most important qualities for an engineer to have?
Be organized and coachable.
Have thick skin. Speak up but listen—not just to respond.
Never be afraid to ask questions. Be a sponge.
What do you enjoy most about being an engineer? And about being an engineer at Edgio?
Bringing to life what the mind dares to imagine! At Edgio, our team and culture are what fuels the environment to satisfy and secure the worlds salacious appetite for IoT. I love the possibilities. We care deeply about our work and the impact and success it has on our clients and consumers.
What excites you about the future of engineering and what we are doing here at Edgio?
I’m eager to know where we’ll go next in engineering and what my role will be in that evolution. Edgio is determined to be a key contributor in a range of focuses that no other CDN provider has strived to expand upon. The people here are not satisfied with complacency. We want to lead an industry charge. To me, that is the very definition of exciting. Boldly go!
What advice would you give to someone who is just beginning their engineering career?
Look around you. There is no company (product or service / for profit or nonprofit) that doesn’t have a technology team behind them. What are your interests? Join an organization you already are affiliated to and develop your craft with them.
Share a fun fact about yourself or something you enjoy doing outside of work.
I write fiction novels!
Engineers Week 2023 runs from February 19 to 25. This year’s theme — Creating the Future — recognizes how engineers play a vital role in innovating solutions to global challenges that impact future generations. By working together to develop new technologies, products and opportunities, engineers create new possibilities that make the world a better place. This Engineers Week we hope that you’ll take a moment to recognize and celebrate the work of engineers and engage students in engineering. DiscoverE, the organization behind Engineers Week, has free resources you can use to inspire future innovators, such as hands-on engineering activities and lesson plans, information about engineering education, and pathways to a technical careers. Visit DiscoverE.org and get the help you need to focus on the “E” in STEM.
