Hi, I’m Jill Wetzler
I’m a technology leader, advisor, and executive coach with nearly two decades of experience working in high growth Silicon Valley tech companies, and everything I know about building high performing teams can be summed up in one quote about basketball:
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.” - Phil Jackson
Magic happens when we tap into the energy that makes our team members feel inspired, fulfilled, and uniquely powerful, and it starts by finding that energy within ourselves. I coach people at all levels, from individual contributors who find themselves naturally leading others to executives in the C-suite managing entire organizations. In my practice I integrate neuroscience-backed coaching techniques with practical guidance from my experience scaling both teams and technology in organizations with high standards of performance.
If you or your company are interested in leveling up your leadership, please reach out!
Bio and Credentials
Jill Wetzler is a technology leader, advisor, and executive coach with over 15 years of experience leading engineering teams at some of Silicon Valley’s fastest growing companies. Jill began her technology career at salesforce.com, where she and her teams launched some of the company’s very first platform offerings. She later joined Twitter’s Data Products organization, where she and her teams of engineers and data scientists launched APIs used by both corporate clients and research institutions. In 2015, Jill joined Lyft as the Director of Infrastructure Engineering, growing the team from 7 engineers to 120+ in less than four years. Her team built many of Lyft’s most critical backend systems, including Envoy Proxy which was open sourced in 2016 and is currently in use by many of the largest tech companies in existence today. Before leaving to start her own coaching business, Jill was the VP of Engineering at Pilot, the largest provider of bookkeeping, tax preparation, and CFO services for startups and small businesses in the US.
Jill is experienced in scaling organizations and their technology stacks through periods of high growth, but she’s equally passionate about building equitable people-related programs with her HR partners. She has comprehensive experience building out structured recruiting processes for individual contributor and management roles, designing and administering company-wide 360 feedback programs, creating self-sustaining group coaching programs for managers, developing career ladders, leading organizational and headcount planning, organizing strategic offsites, and more. Her approach when working within a single organization is to build sustainable programs that can be adapted across all areas of the business.
Jill received a certificate in Brain-Based Coaching from the NeuroLeadership Institute and loves coaching leaders at all levels and across all industries. She is an advisor for Diversity Advocates, a professional learning community sponsored by the Kapor Center for Social Impact in her own city of Oakland. Jill completed her BS in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon in 2005.
TESTIMONIALS
Dylan Fried
CTO"I had the pleasure of working with Jill Wetzler for several years, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. We first met in 2017 through our mutual contacts at Lyft, and from the end of that year through 2022, Jill became an invaluable advisor to me and to our tech team at Lendable.
Jill's guidance was instrumental in scaling our technology team and managing team structure. She provided expert advice on hiring, team management, and technical strategy. Jill's extensive experience and insightful recommendations were always spot-on and highly effective. Moreover, Jill has gone above and beyond to make valuable introductions on hiring processes, key technology decisions, and team trainings. Her contributions have been instrumental in helping our tech team get to where it is today.
Anyone seeking expert guidance on building and scaling a successful tech team should work with Jill! Her knowledge, expertise, and generosity are second to none."
Andrew Ha
Engineering Manager“Jill and I were matched through a mentorship program at First Round Capital and it has had an amazing impact on my career.
Every meeting that we've ever had has changed my outlook on how to approach engineering management for the better. Recognition, career development, team culture, diversity, hiring, performance management, and recruiting are just some of the topics that Jill has the expertise and real-world stories with.
She is incredibly kind, smart, empathetic, and always willing to offer advice. She gave me confidence and coached me through one of the most difficult situations I've had to deal with.
I don't have enough good words to describe Jill as a coach.”
Willy Hakizimana
Senior Engineering Manager“I am immensely grateful for Jill's invaluable coaching support in helping me secure a promotion. Her tailored guidance, practical strategies, and expert insights helped me develop leadership skills, enhance my professional presence, and create a strategic career plan. Thanks to her unwavering support, I not only achieved my career goal but also gained the skills and confidence to thrive in my new role.”
Zheng Tao
Staff Software Engineer“I've been working with Jill for some general career help and a job transition. I highly recommend her for anyone seeking coaching.
Jill has been a strong advocate for me, and has encouraged me to value my skills and advocate for myself.
She is extremely intelligent, empathetic and supportive. She's also very honest and will share the truth, not just what she thinks someone wants to hear.”
Sarah Brown
Engineering Leader“I reached out to Jill Wetzler for executive coaching because she has deep expertise within the tech industry and could immediately bring that experience to bear. Her blend of knowledge, practical wisdom, and a genuine commitment to inclusive workplaces makes Jill an exceptional coach. She is particularly suited to guide leaders through complex career situations.
Through a series of sessions, we worked on identifying and implementing strategic outcomes, managing up and across, confidence projection, and career goals. We were able to resolve situations that seemed stuck, hopeless, and chaotic to get things back on track. Whether you are at a crossroads looking for clarity or need help with tactical problem solving, you owe it to yourself to add Jill to your support network.”