Top 10 Mentors in Software on Upnotch
- Upnotch Team
- 51 minutes ago
- 8 min read
Upnotch is FREE for all professionals to join!
Growth in software doesn’t happen in isolation.
It often begins with the right conversation at the right moment. The right advice can change a career path, open new doors, and spark confidence.
At Upnotch, we celebrate the mentors who make those moments possible. The ones who show up with real-world experience, clarity, and a genuine desire to help others move forward in an ever-evolving software landscape.
This January, we’re proud to highlight 10 exceptional mentors in software. They come from diverse backgrounds and roles, yet all share a commitment to helping others navigate complexity, build confidence, and reach their next milestone with purpose.
Meet the Top 10 Mentors in Software and see how meaningful guidance and real conversations can shape careers.
Upnotch is completely free for all professionals to make guidance accessible when it matters most.
Santiago Zarate |
Santiago Zarate is a Product Owner at SUSE, a global leader in enterprise-grade open source software. A self-taught engineer with over 10 years of experience in quality assurance, Santiago has worked across the software lifecycle and is currently transitioning deeper into product development, bringing a strong technical foundation and user-first mindset to his work.
Originally from Venezuela, Santiago has lived and worked across Panama, the United States, Taiwan, and Germany, giving him a global perspective on building and scaling software teams. He’s a passionate mentor who believes deeply in paying it forward and enjoys supporting people interested in software, open source, and career transitions within tech. As someone who is part of the autistic and ADHD communities, Santiago is especially eager to mentor neurodiverse professionals, helping them navigate and thrive in the software industry.
Praise for Santiago |
Santiago Zarate, is an invaluable asset in my career. His experience and kindness combine to provide exceptional guidance. He offers clear advice and practical examples related to my industry, encouraging personal and professional growth. His deep technical knowledge and interpersonal skills make him an exceptional mentor.
Santiago is a pleasure to talk to, and I look forward to continuing to learn from him.
Jonathan Biemond |
Jonathan Biemond is a Software Developer and Data Engineer with over 8 years of experience building automated, scalable solutions to complex technical problems. He specializes in Python and SQL, with a strong focus on replacing manual, inefficient workflows through thoughtful software design and optimization.
Jonathan has worked across the full stack, including developing a comprehensive web platform for structural analysis and design tools, as well as designing and implementing data pipelines and data warehouses that clean, validate, and unify data from multiple sources. His work has helped democratize access to data and significantly improve reporting performance. Passionate about continuous improvement, Jonathan also enjoys contributing to open source software and mentoring others who are interested in software development, data engineering, and building elegant, well-designed systems.
Praise for Jonathan |
Jonathan was delightful to speak with. He is approachable and engaging, and even in our introductory session, provided me with useful information I can use right away! I appreciated his vote of confidence as I venture forth into my newest challenging opportunities. I look forward to checking in with him again as I progress on my journey.
Elaheh Rashedi |
Elaheh Rashedi is a Software Engineer II at Microsoft with a strong background in computer science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. She holds a PhD in Computer Science/AI, and began her career at Microsoft as a Data Scientist before transitioning into software engineering, giving her a well-rounded perspective across research, data, and production-level systems.
Elaheh is experienced in machine learning techniques, deep learning frameworks, parallel programming, and statistical analysis, and is passionate about designing efficient algorithms to solve complex problems. Known as a fast learner with a curiosity for new technologies and programming languages, she enjoys mentoring others who are navigating technical career transitions, strengthening their software foundations, or moving from academia or data-focused roles into software engineering.
Praise for Elaheh |
Elaheh is kind and cooperative; she recommended steps, a book, and two websites for me. I’m so happy I got the chance to meet her, and I truly benefited a lot from our conversation.
Jinal Shah |
Jinal Shah is a Senior Data Engineer at Airbnb with over 10 years of experience in the software industry, spanning cloud-based SaaS platforms, data engineering, and product development. He has previously worked at Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, WeWork, and Zillow, bringing deep technical breadth across large-scale, data-driven organizations.
Jinal specializes in big data technologies, ETL pipelines, data governance, modeling, and validation, and has strong experience building service-oriented architectures and RESTful APIs. Passionate about staying current with emerging technologies, he is a collaborative team player with growing leadership ambitions. Jinal enjoys mentoring software and data professionals who are looking to strengthen their technical foundations, scale systems, or take the next step into leadership roles.
Praise for Jinal |
I believe Jinal is a great mentor. Firstly, I requested a session for the day after the initial setup and even with the late notice, he still took time to meet with me which is not something I can say for everybody. Also, he made it really easy to have a conversation. I was nervous at first, but once we started talking the nerves kind of went away. He also let me know that if I have any questions or concerns I have in the future, I can contact him again and he'd be happy to help.
Joice Liu |
Joice Liu is a Software Engineer at Google with over 10 years of experience building scalable, distributed systems. She has deep expertise in cloud infrastructure and programming languages such as Java and Go, and has previously worked at companies including SAP and Align Technology.
Passionate about diversity and inclusion, Joice is a dedicated mentor who focuses on supporting early-career professionals as they navigate uncertainty and build fulfilling careers. Known for her exceptional communication skills, she helps mentees gain clarity, confidence, and direction in areas such as career development, Agile practices, DevOps, and personal growth. Through her mentorship, Joice has made a meaningful impact by empowering others to grow and pay it forward within the tech community.
Praise for Joice |
I loved my first session with Joice! She's so bubbly and positive, always with a big smile :D Her life philosophy and the lessons she learned are just like her, optimistic and encouraging!
Sameera Perera |
Sameera Perera is the Vice President of Software Engineering at Geonexus with nearly 20 years of experience across startup and mid-market technology companies. He is known for combining deep technical expertise with people-first leadership, and has a proven track record of transforming underperforming engineering teams into high-impact, cross-functional organizations.
Throughout his career, Sameera has led distributed, remote-first teams of 50+ engineers across multiple continents, driving significant growth in Annual Recurring Revenue, in some cases increasing ARR by up to 500%. His expertise spans technical leadership, distributed systems architecture, product management, Agile methodologies, and coaching. Passionate about mentorship, Sameera is especially committed to supporting first-time engineering managers, drawing from his own journey of transitioning from individual contributor to leader and the pivotal role mentorship played in his success.
Praise for Sameera |
Sameera was prepared with what he wanted to discuss and was clear about what he wanted to accomplish. During our session, he was able to work through a few ideas he would try before our next meeting.
Madhuri Vegaraju |
Madhuri Vegaraju is a Director of Software Engineering at MCG Health with over 20 years of experience as a technical leader in the software industry. She brings deep expertise in designing, developing, and deploying cloud-based applications across AWS and Azure, and is known for delivering high-quality solutions in complex and demanding environments.
A passionate advocate for women in tech, Madhuri is deeply committed to creating opportunities for growth and advancement through mentorship. She enjoys supporting professionals at various stages of their careers, particularly those looking to strengthen their technical leadership skills, scale cloud-based systems, or grow into engineering management roles. Her thoughtful guidance and breadth of experience make her a valued mentor within the software community.
Praise for Madhuri |
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!
Marius Nel |
Marius Nel is a Senior Software Engineering Manager and former Amazon leader with over 20 years of experience across Big Four organizations and high-growth startups. He has a strong focus on cloud-based software products in the areas of security and networking, and is known for leading complex, multi-year initiatives that drive innovation and measurable business growth.
A strategic, data-driven leader, Marius brings deep expertise in program development, growth initiatives, executive sponsorship, and team building, with extensive experience presenting to global and cross-functional audiences. He enjoys mentoring aspiring engineering leaders and managers who are navigating scale, organizational complexity, and the transition into senior leadership roles within software organizations.
Praise for Marius |
Marius was a great listener, and had practical and useful insights on how to efficiently job search and improve my profile. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and for your mentorship!
Darwin Vasquez |
Darwin Vasquez is a full-stack software engineer and technical lead with over 7 years of experience across every stage of the software development lifecycle, including design, implementation, testing, deployment, monitoring, and maintenance. He brings strong backend expertise, working extensively with Python and Django, as well as modern infrastructure and tooling such as Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, Datadog, Linux, and GitHub Actions.
A native Spanish speaker who is now fully embedded in English-speaking engineering environments, Darwin is especially passionate about helping mentees grow both technically and professionally. He enjoys mentoring individuals who want to strengthen their software skills, improve communication and soft skills, pursue higher-paying roles, avoid burnout, and build a career path that aligns with their values. His mentorship style is practical, empathetic, and focused on sustainable growth.
Praise for Darwin |
Thanks to my amazing mentor Darwin for giving me valuable advice to resume my English practice - I will never stop learning!
Afshan Martin |
Afshan Martin is a Lead Software Engineer at Trust & Will with over 15 years of experience in software engineering as both an individual contributor and a technical leader. She has led diverse teams focused on improving engineering practices, delivering high-quality software, and driving growth through strategic, well-executed projects.
With strong full-stack expertise, Afshan brings a thoughtful blend of technical depth and people-centered leadership to her mentorship. She is passionate about real-time and event-driven systems, AI-based automation, and user data privacy, and enjoys supporting mentees through technical leadership development, software engineering best practices, and professional growth. As a solopreneur, she also offers valuable perspective on building independently while maintaining sustainable career momentum.
Praise for Afshan |
It was truly inspiring to hear Afshan's journey building her business. She openly shared all the details and even gave me resources to help me grow! I especially appreciated her tips on overcoming perfectionism, using examples from her own experiences. Afshan's encouragement and inspiration have given me the push I needed to start taking action on my own goals!
Ready to advance your career with mentorship? Upnotch is FREE for all professionals to join!
What are you waiting for!?
Comments