Product owner with a mind towards collaboration and outcomes
Caleb is a member of the Strategic Partnerships product team, which is responsible for the linking experiences between Discover® and its digital wallet and merchant partners. In his role, Caleb owns his product roadmap, prioritization of new features and initiatives, and optimization of the technical architecture that enables the frontend experience. He also works closely with marketing and partner leads to identify and build new opportunities and optimizations within his product experiences. All of this is centered around customer delight and partner relationship building.
As a co-leader of the Product Owner (PO) Forum, Caleb facilitates an environment where product owners across the value stream can share best practices, upskill one another, and support new peers getting onboarded into an agile way of working.
As a product owner, Caleb works closely with the technology team that makes up his product. "As someone who loves building new things and understanding the intricacies of how things work, I get excited having access to all the insights around how customers are using and experiencing my product," says Caleb. With a more technical background, his is able to unlock new capabilities with the modern tech stack Discover builds with.
The positive culture at Discover makes it a great fit for Caleb. "I feel both valued and recognized for all of the work I do on a daily basis, and it's easy to bring my best self to work each day."
He notes that his peers are willing to help each other and managers truly listen, collect feedback from all levels, and at quickly when the feedback warrants change. Above all, Caleb appreciates the way Discover culture reinforces cross-functional collaboration and alignment, leading to great communication between business and engineering practices.
Get to know more about Caleb
Tell us about what got you into tech.
Even as a kid, way back when VCRs were a thing and you needed to adjust the tracking, I was the go-to tech support for my family. I've always been fascinated by learning how things work and how to fix them. After I got my first computer, it was obvious that I was going to be a tech-head.
Fast forward to my first jobs out of college and I gravitated towards technical support roles. The real catalyst that got me into my current role was my passion for web development. It started as a hobby, then a side hustle, then a full-stack bootcamp, and before I knew it I was managing software projects and building technical solutions for business problems.
What are your favorite hobbies?
I'm a huge foodie and love trying new, exotic cuisines. I also love getting outside and enjoying nature whenever I can. Activities like hiking, kayaking, and just exploring Chicago are a sort of meditation for me.
I also love all types of music and learned how to play the drums in high school. I can't even describe the bliss that is a good jam session with your band mates, and I firmly believe that learning an instrument unlocks a new part of your brain.
What's the best thing you've ever eaten?
As a foodie, this question makes my mind race. A Texas BBQ short rib from Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix? Omakase from one of the top places in Chicago? Fresh strawberries from a street market in Paris? It all depends on the day.
What's your caffeine of choice?
Coffee
What is your favorite movie?
John Carpenter's The Thing
