Our Workers
Sassafras is a largely queer, neurodivergent, multiracial workplace. We are a remote, distributed workforce located on occupied Indigenous territory throughout the so-called US. Most of us started in traditional tech and found Sassafras as a safer haven from the exploitative tech industry.
The best talent doesn't want to work in big tech. We want to work here, where our voices matter. We include:
- Elizabeth
- Elizabeth (they/she) is a senior developer, project manager, and UX designer. They worked at Sassafras from 2014-2020 and rejoined in 2024. They enjoy nature, writing, skating, and gardening.
- Alex
- Alex (she/her) is a full-stack developer proficient in JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, WordPress, and GraphQL. She was an organizer with the graduate student workers union at Northeastern University, where she received her PhD from the Khoury College of Computer Sciences. She's been involved in the labor movement for several years and is excited to be part of a worker-owned cooperative.
- Shae
- Shae (they/them) grew up in the rural rust belt fixing old computers and making simple websites for fun. They have worked since 2006 as a technician, project manager and consultant in the IT field. They are trying to apply horizontal, care-based and anti-oppressive principles in their day to day work & mutual aid based community organizing (and are failing constantly but learning a lot). They are a prison & police abolitionist, dumpster diver and compost enthusiast.
- Kevin
- Kevin (he/him) has been writing and publishing apps since 2007. He grew up in the midwest, graduated from the University of Michigan, worked at companies big and small, freelanced for NGOs, and finally joined Sassafras in 2019. He lives with his partner and two small cats who walk on a leash and do tricks. Kevin also performs improv comedy with a local troupe.
- Melody
- Melody (she/her) is a technical architect and backend developer. She has worked in the field since 2005, starting in IT administration and consulting. She has worked as a web and software developer for over 15 years, across multiple language and framework stacks, with particular emphasis on application security, ruby on rails, consent, and user safety. She has spent the last decade volunteering to create space for women in tech to collaborate and thrive online by administering a community of over 15,000 women. In her free time, she enjoys curling up with a good book, creative writing, and game design.
