Meet Alexis Chitwood, Senior Director of Engineering Operations

Tell us about what you do at Raptive. 

I use program management principles to oversee and enhance the quality engineering frameworks that support our business strategies. A typical day for me starts with reviewing the status of ongoing projects and checking in with my teams. I analyze data from our test suites and monitoring systems, working closely with Revenue Operations, Development, and Product teams to address any issues that arise.

We are deeply invested in our creators’ success and prioritize their needs in everything we do. I also run our hackathons, where I take creator feedback and turn it into topics people can use to create ideas and code. The winning hackathon ideas usually get a spot in our product roadmap.

Why is it so important to prioritize quality in ad code?

Quality engineering isn’t just about finding bugs; it ensures that every aspect of the product meets the highest standards of quality and performance. At Raptive, quality is embedded in our DNA. We do this through rigorous testing, automation, and continuous monitoring.

If we don’t prioritize quality in ad code, we risk a subpar user experience, which can lead to decreased engagement, lower revenue, and ultimately, a loss of trust from our creators and our audience. Poor-quality ad code can result in bugs, slower performance, and security vulnerabilities, all of which can harm our reputation and our creators’ success. 

We’re a professional white-glove service, and I never want a creator to report an issue before my team catches it first.

Some companies rely on their community to report bugs. We identify and resolve issues before they impact our creators, ensuring smooth deployments and optimal performance.

What’s different about the way Raptive works? 

Our approach to quality assurance is so holistic. In addition to testing ad code, we’re also looking at data and experience metrics. We want creators to make the most money possible, but we also want to make sure people return to their sites.

Raptive’s proactive stance on identifying and addressing talent gaps, fostering leadership development, and encouraging knowledge sharing across teams also makes Raptive a unique and rewarding place to work. I’ve been here seven years, and I would love to be here another seven. 

What’s your favorite part about your job? 

My favorite thing is the opportunity to make a tangible impact on both the company and our creators. I’m a creator myself, so this is near and dear to my heart. I’m also a military spouse, and my fishing and traveling site is a creative outlet for me. When I think about our creators, there might be other military spouses among them who may have experienced what I experienced. That’s why I love what I do—they can make hard decisions because they know they have money coming in and they know Raptive has the tools for their company to grow.   

How does AI impact your work?

AI is helping us streamline our workflows, reduce lead times, and deliver better solutions to our creators. AI-driven tools help us analyze large volumes of data, identify patterns, and predict potential issues before they occur, which allows us to proactively address problems and improve the quality and reliability of our ad code. It’s like a friendly robot that can help us digest thousands and thousands of pieces of data.

What have you learned while working at Raptive that will stay with you?

Working at Raptive has taught me the importance of adaptability and continuous improvement. The ever-evolving nature of the tech industry requires us to stay agile and embrace change. I’ve also learned the value of collaboration and communication in achieving common goals. 

We follow the principle of people over process, putting people first the same way that we put our creators first. There’s a large sense of community and support at Raptive enforcing that idea that we can achieve more when we work together, and those lessons will stay with me forever.