Jay Shepherd, a volunteer firefighter and former EMT, discovered ID.me when he saw how ID.me’s verification process helped first responders and nurses access gasoline discounts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jay joined ID.me as the Tech Lead for Marketplaces and guides a group of highly skilled engineers in full-stack development.
In this installment of our ID.me Employee Spotlight Series, you’ll discover Jay’s commitment to service and leadership on the Marketplaces Core team. Jay touches on his leadership style, ID.me’s impact for communities such as first responders, and more.
At ID.me, our mission is to make the world a more trusted place by delivering the highest level of security with the least amount of friction at the lowest possible cost. We are hiring great people who want to make great products with ID.me in service of this mission. Learn more about our results-driven culture and top-of-market compensation and benefits.
—
Tell us about your team and your current role.
I work with the Marketplaces Core team, a group of highly skilled engineers specializing in full-stack development, from back-end services to front-end user experiences. As the Tech Lead, I provide support and direction to our engineering team while collaborating closely with leadership to architect and achieve our vision.
How have you professionally grown since you started working at ID.me?
Each year, I reflect on my growth as an engineer and a person. Since I started at ID.me, there have been plenty of opportunities for personal growth. For example, I’ve learned more advanced ways of scaling applications to handle high traffic, incorporated an experimentation framework to gain insights into our customers and improve their experience, and deepened my understanding of our underlying platform architecture. These experiences have not only improved the reliability and performance of our applications but have also broadened my technical expertise and skill set.
What is your favorite leadership principle and why?
Years ago, I discovered the “See One, Do One, Teach One” principle, which emphasizes experiential learning and knowledge transfer. As a visual learner, I find that seeing something done, practicing it myself, and then teaching others is the most effective way for me to retain and master new skills while also providing a learning opportunity for others. This approach solidifies your understanding and fosters a collaborative environment where team members continuously learn from one another.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy traveling, and I’ve recently rediscovered my interest in photography. Combining these together allows me to creatively capture memories while exploring new destinations.
Tell us a little about yourself and how you came into your current role at ID.me
I’ve been a volunteer firefighter and EMT off and on over the past 12 years. During COVID, BP offered a discount on gasoline to first responders and nurses through verification with ID.me. As a software engineer, I was curious about how all the parts worked to provide an at-the-pump discount. Six months later, I interviewed with ID.me, and they offered me a position on the Shop team. Since then, I’ve had the fortune of working with an extraordinary team that strives to provide goods and services from our partners to our everyday heroes.
What does your team do at ID.me?
Our team is responsible for enabling community members to discover the best deals through our marketplace applications. We focus on improving the Shop member and partner experience by ensuring a stable infrastructure for growth, offering personalized opportunities, and advocating for our members.
Which is your favorite ID.me value and why?
Among the principles we uphold at ID.me, my favorite is “Make Something Better Every Day.” This philosophy involves continually seeking opportunities to enhance our environment and what we engage with. As a parent, I strive to instill the idea of “Leave it better than you found it” in my children. Practicing this principle benefits others and serves our future selves by fostering a habit of daily improvement.
What impact does your work have for ID.me members?
As part of the Fire Service and EMS communities, I’ve seen firsthand the impact made when we take time to honor our everyday heroes. It makes a good day rewarding and a bad day bearable. Through our work, we have a special opportunity to serve and honor our active and veteran military members, teachers, nurses, and first responders and the work they do to support our communities.
—
Jay’s ability to blend technical expertise with a passion for service makes him a vital part of our ID.me team. We are proud to have professionals like Jay driving our mission to create a more trusted digital world. We are also proud to serve the communities of which Jay has been a part, including first responders and health care workers, and many more.
Stay tuned for the next feature in the ID.me Employee Spotlight Series. Visit ID.me Careers if you are interested in learning more about the benefits of working at ID.me or applying for open roles.
