My Career Story
I build AI-powered products that scale. I start from scratch, in ambiguity, when the stakes are high and there is no playbook.
For over a decade, I have worked at the intersection of machine learning, systems design, and business strategy. Most recently, I served as a Principal Product and Tech Leader (Amazon L7), where I led critical cross-functional initiatives that shaped how Amazon invests, operates, and serves customers.
One of my signature achievements was launching Amazon’s first delivery speed benchmarking platform. This was a zero-to-one initiative, funded by the CEO of North America Retail, created to answer a fundamental question: how fast are we, really, compared to our competitors?
I partnered with economists and scientists to build production ML models estimating the sales impact of delivery speed and customer experience. These models became part of live customer and operational systems, and later influenced a five-billion-dollar investment approved at the executive level.
That is one example. What I do consistently is bring AI into the decision loop — not as a buzzword, but as durable leverage. I design systems that connect models, strategy, and real-world impact.
My Superpower
Versatility. I started my career in finance. I then moved into business intelligence and later transitioned to product. This path gives me an unusual ability to flex between technical depth, data fluency, and strategic framing — a skill set I bring to every 0 to 1 product I lead.
That adaptability has served me well across domains, but it also comes from how I was raised.
I grew up in Russia, earned my BA in Economics and Finance at the American University in Bulgaria, and spent a year on exchange at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse. I later completed my MBA at American University in Washington, D.C. and have worked in both Amazon US and Amazon EU. In total, I spent two years in Luxembourg working with EU stakeholders and seven years in Seattle across global product teams. Leading multicultural, globally distributed teams has always been part of how I work — and how I think.
How I Lead
I’m at my best when the problem is ambiguous, the system is messy, and the outcome matters. I’ve led ML product development across 30-plus stakeholder teams, delivered strategic initiatives that impacted global operations, and built platforms that quietly became foundational.
Along the way, I’ve also mentored dozens of professionals at Amazon and beyond — helping them navigate product transitions, cross-functional influence, and the pressure of high-performance environments. Mentoring is one of the most meaningful parts of my work, and a practice I carry with me into every team I join.
What I’m Looking For
I’m looking to lead product in a company where AI is not an experiment, but the core of the strategy. Whether in infrastructure, research-to-product translation, or defining entirely new systems, I want to build the next era of product — and help others grow while doing it.
If that is the kind of work you are doing, I would love to connect.