top of page

Top Mentors to Help Software Engineers Excel


Mentors in software engineering ready to help you boost your career

Few fields are more fast-paced and evolve as rapidly as software engineering. Staying ahead requires more than just technical skills—it demands continuous learning, adaptability, and guidance.


That’s why for all engineers at all career levels, mentorship is essential. Whether you're a new software engineer just starting your career or an experienced developer looking to stay current with new technologies, a mentor can provide invaluable support, helping you navigate the complexities of the tech landscape.


The rapid advancement of programming languages, frameworks, and development methodologies can make it overwhelming to keep up with the latest trends. However, a mentor with industry experience can offer strategic insights to help engineers focus on what matters most.


Mentorship offers more than just technical advice. It can help software engineers refine their problem-solving abilities, improve communication skills, and gain a broader understanding of how to contribute meaningfully to their teams and organizations. By learning from someone who has already overcome similar challenges, engineers can avoid common pitfalls and accelerate their career growth.


Moreover, the structured feedback and career advice from mentors can be especially valuable in guiding engineers through career transitions, whether moving into leadership roles, shifting to new tech stacks, or exploring specialized fields like artificial intelligence or cloud computing. Mentorship equips engineers to navigate the evolving tech ecosystem with agility and foresight.


In an industry where innovation is constant and skills quickly become outdated, having a mentor can be the difference between simply keeping up and truly excelling. Luckily, the top mentors for software engineers are ready to connect with you!


And, you can schedule mentoring sessions with them for FREE on Upnotch!


Marius Nel – Senior Software Engineering Manager

Marius Nel, Upnotch Mentor

Marius Nel, a Senior Software Engineering Manager and ex-Amazon leader, has a career spanning over 20 years, with expertise in cloud-based software products in security and networking. Known for his ability to drive executive sponsorship and lead multi-year programs, Marius combines analytical rigor with a deep understanding of market trends to foster growth and innovation. His proven track record includes leading growth initiatives, building cross-functional teams, and securing executive support while delivering presentations to global audiences.


Marius would be an excellent mentor for aspiring leaders and engineering managers. He is also actively seeking a mentor with experience in building organizations or navigating corporate dynamics at a senior executive level.

Praise for Marius

Tim Adamson, Mentee
Tim Adamson, Mentee

During our first meeting together Marius clearly outlined different focuses that our mentorship relationship can have and even provided me with a few next steps to take that will help me advance towards my goals. He is very knowledgeable in his field and has a wealth of experience.




Giorgio Natili - VP & Head of Engineering

Giorgio Natili, Upnotch Mentor

Giorgio Natili, Vice President and Head of Engineering at Opaque Systems, has over 20 years of experience in software engineering and leadership. He leads teams in developing a cutting-edge platform that enables organizations to leverage AI while ensuring data privacy and control. Giorgio is also a board member of medVR, a nonprofit supporting emerging medical XR developers with bootcamps, mentorship, and funding.


Previously, Giorgio led the Firefox Desktop engineering team at Mozilla, focusing on the web extensions platform and localization infrastructure. With experience across fintech, payments, security, education, and retail, he is a seasoned leader, international speaker, author, and advocate for web accessibility and privacy.

Praise for Giorgio

Tatia Zuloaga, Mentee
Tatia Zuloaga, Mentee

Giorgio is an amazing Mentor and a brilliant leader. Thank you so much for being a part of the Upnotch Community!





Madhuri Vegaraju - Associate Director & Software Engineer

Madhuri Vegaraju, Upnotch Mentor

Madhuri Vegaraju is an Associate Director and Software Engineer at MCG Health. With over 20 years of success as a driven technical leader, Madhuri is a multi-skilled software engineering professional with a comprehensive background in designing, developing, and deploying AWS and Azure cloud services for software applications. She excels in delivering projects of the highest quality, even in complex and challenging environments. 


She is deeply passionate about supporting and empowering women in the tech industry, consistently striving to create opportunities for their growth and success. Madhuri loves mentoring and would be a wonderful mentor to anyone seeking to advance their careers in the field of technology.

Praise for Madhuri

Jacob Eberhart, Mentee
Jacob Eberhart, Mentee

Madhuri is very helpful at assisting with tips that she has found to be helpful when presenting ideas and gave me a lot of considerations that I had not even thought about. Truly a case of seeing a situation from another person’s perspective, and her experience in management means she’s familiar with things that work well and things that do not. Very thankful for her mentorship!



Justin Darnall – Senior Software Engineering Manger

Justin Darnall, Upnotch Mentor

Justin Darnall is a Senior Software Engineering Manager at Blue Origin. With 11+ years of experience, Justin is a highly skilled and experienced software engineer with a proven track record of success in developing and delivering high-quality software products. He is also an expert in a variety of software engineering tools and technologies, including Python, Java, and C++. Justin is a highly motivated and results-oriented individual who is passionate about software engineering. He is also a team player and has a strong work ethic.


Praise for Justin

Tatia Zuloaga, Mentee
Tatia Zuloaga, Mentee

Justin has a wealth of insight and information as he is well-versed in the field of Software Engineering. I am so happy I was able to glean some perspective in this field from someone with more experience.




Vivian Lau - Software Engineering Manager

Vivian Lau, Upnotch Mentor

Vivian Lau is a seasoned Software Development Leader with over 15 years of experience managing software engineering teams and driving key deliverables. Recognized for her adaptive servant leadership, Vivian excels at fostering agile teams to become autonomous, resilient, and highly effective. She is a strong advocate for providing regular recognition and candid feedback, and she is passionate about creating an inclusive engineering culture. Vivian would be an invaluable mentor to first-time engineering managers or anyone looking to enhance their leadership skills. She is also seeking mentorship from a woman leader within the engineering domain.

Praise for Vivian

Lesley Kwok, Mentee
Lesley Kwok, Mentee

Vivian is an amazing mentor. She is always willing to lend a helping hand and provide valuable advice. She is extremely knowledgeable and experienced, and she is always willing to share her insights and wisdom. She is also very kind and supportive. I am so grateful to have her as a mentor, and I highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for a supportive and helpful mentor.


 

Ready to advance your career in software engineering? Upnotch is FREE for all individuals to join!

What are you waiting for!?



Comments


bottom of page