Emma - Systems Engineer

Could you introduce yourself and say a little about your background.

Hi, I’m Emma (she/her)! I originally studied English Literature, which gave me a love of story - and this in turn led me into the film/TV industry. I was lucky enough to work on a variety of shows, which took me all the way around the M25 and occasionally beyond. I’ve always enjoyed collaborating with others on projects, learning new things and making things, and so I decided to take on the challenge of reconfiguring these interests into a new career. Through funded courses provided by Code First Girls and School of Code, I retrained as a software developer. I live in London with my partner and our frankly enormous cat, Lupin.

What do you do for work and what skills are you bringing to Preptrack?

I’m a software engineer for a company that works with other corporations to build bespoke security solutions for their business needs. From this, and from my previous career, I’m bringing a love of teamwork and creative problem-solving. My time in film/TV also honed my interest in story structure, and gave me a particular interest in character journey and development. This narrative approach has also informed my approach to building products; I like to reflect on whether a user’s journey through an app is clearly signposted, visually-appealing, and answers their needs.

When did you first hear about Preptrack and why did you decide to get involved?

I came across Preptrack in 2022, at a Silicon Milkroundabout event. It was the Foundation’s mission that really appealed to me; I’d had the privilege of working on a TV storyline a few years previously which had centred around PrEP/PEP experiences, and this informed a long-standing admiration of how far we’ve come with HIV prevention and management, and what further support might still make a vital difference.