Caitlin Weaver, Senior Engineering Manager at Clear, discusses her fascinating journey from aspiring museum designer to tech leader. She shares insights on the vital role of empathy in engineering management and how it fosters effective communication. Caitlin recounts a dramatic Kafka cluster failure, emphasizing teamwork in crisis. She elaborates on the evolution of platform engineering, advocating for collaboration and open-source contributions to tackle complexity. Her unique path illustrates the blend of creativity and technology.