At Apple, we’re committed to leaving the world better than we found it. Each of us contributes to that effort in our own way, bringing a passion for what we do best and what we believe matters most. As you’ll see from these conversations, our stories are all different, yet each shows what’s possible when personal and professional values align.
“I love that Apple meets people where they are, at their needs and skill level.”
Nafisah, Apple Store Manager
Is it true that Apple got you in a trade from the L.A. Dodgers?
Answer:Well, no, you’d have to call me more of a free agent. I left one great team for another, of my own free will. I was their Director of Premium Hospitality, managing luxury suites and private clubs.
You started at Apple as a manager — so did you also have retail experience?
Answer:None.
Tech experience?
Answer:Zero! And I wondered about that, but they said they were less interested in what I knew and more interested in who I was. It was more about heart and soul.
So you learned as you went?
Answer:Yes. It was a little intimidating, but I was just super humble and really open to learning from everyone. We all invested in each other.
“We were part of each other’s development. And still are.”
You’ve gone from luxury suite VIPs to a diverse range of customers.
Answer:For me, they’re all VIPs, no matter their experience or skills or language or age — like my mom who magnifies everything on her iPad to see better. And through our people or products, there’s always a way to connect. I love that human connection. I have two boys at home, and my six-year-old is autistic and he just loves his iPad.
What’s that experience like for him?
Answer:That iPad is like a best friend. It’s how he learned to speak. He used it to learn to count and spell and read — and now GarageBand is his thing. I’ve seen so much of a change in him. It’s such an important part of his development.
Growth sounds like a recurring theme for your son, your team, and yourself.
Answer:There’s definitely a culture here that says everybody counts, everybody has a purpose, and everybody’s journey is different. And I realized that this culture is why I’m here.
“Helping people grow through their journey is what I’ve always wanted to do.”
“I knew where Apple stood on this kind of work — they’ve led the way. It was an easy decision.”
Chris, Machine Learning/AI Engineering Manager
Before you joined this company, you had started your own?
Answer:Yes. I had started losing my sight — I’m legally blind now — so we created voice-driven apps that offered better experiences for those with low vision.
Was it hard to leave a business founded on such a personal mission?
Answer:Well, the business itself wasn’t what I was most passionate about. I was more into solving the problem, offering people a better quality of life. Apple offered me the resources to do that.
“Pursuing my work with Apple meant more focus, more progress, and more impact.”
But Apple wasn’t your only option, right?
Answer:Right, but the first reason I chose Apple was the products. After all, iPhone is probably the most revolutionary accessibility device released in decades, if not ever.
What makes an iPhone an accessibility device?
Answer:Well, it changed the way we all access the world. iOS features and apps personalize that access. And today it’s still way more accessible than other smartphones, thanks to features like VoiceOver. Everyone can appreciate features like Siri and HomeKit or Announce Messages. What’s simply convenient for most can be life-changing for people with vision loss.
You had a second reason?
Answer:Apple’s values. There’s a historical commitment here to accessibility, which holds true today. Leadership makes major financial investments in support of this work. It’s less about quarterly profits and more about what’s right — and what’s a human right.
How does this play out in the workplace?
Answer:Our teams and leadership are extremely accommodating, supporting the way I work in multiple ways. In fact, Apple has a whole People Accessibility team focused on workplace accessibility.
“Apple has repeatedly made it clear that it values the humanity of its employees and customers.”
They’ve got your back.
Answer:And not just mine — this is a diverse company and we support everyone. Creating opportunities for a wider range of people here is really rewarding.
In what way?
Answer:For example, I helped start the AI/Machine Learning Rotation Program for new college grads, and over its lifetime, half of the participants have been women.
So you do more than engineering.
Answer:Well, that’s part of being here. And people love to work on these projects because everyone realizes the effect they can have. They just say, “Cool. What do you need?”
“We were so passionate about it. We knew we had to make this happen. It was the right thing to do.”
Jennifer, Operations Program Manager
So your team turns visions into reality?
Answer:Yep, that’s us in Operations. We work with designers and engineers on new hardware ideas, then figure out how to actually build a product.
More than one, probably.
Answer:Right. It’s like “OK, we’ve built one — now let’s make millions.”
“An innovative product demands an innovative process.”
What makes it innovative?
Answer:So much. For instance, I was part of the team that developed the first 100 percent recycled aluminum MacBook Air enclosure.
Recycled — not only recyclable?
Answer:Right. Recycled, so no new aluminum is mined from the earth.
It’s more specialized than recycling soda cans.
Answer:Oh, yeah — very different. This is a high-grade, patented alloy that had to meet our standards for purity and performance. We had to rethink a whole new supply chain and sourcing process, then make sure it was just as strong, functional, and beautiful as what people expect from Apple. It was a very ambitious initiative.
Does “ambitious” translate as “this won’t be easy”?
Answer:Sure — but that’s why we’re here, right? Solving a tough problem gives you an amazing rush. And when we’re compressed between demands, like environmental goals as well as functional and aesthetic standards, that’s where the most incredible innovation happens.
“You’re just more driven when there’s more purpose to your work.”
You mean there’s extra motivation when it’s more than a technical achievement?
Answer:Well, here it’s always more than that, whether it’s the environment or people’s experience with the product or something more. And yes, you definitely feel good doing the right thing. And you get another kind of motivation from the people here.
Your team? Leadership?
Answer:Both. I remember times when we thought this is so daunting. Then we’d come out of meetings with Lisa Jackson, and I’d think, “She’s so amazing — we have to make this happen!”
It’s like a booster shot.
Answer:Yeah. When you meet with the execs, you see how they’re focused on the big picture, and they’re counting on you.
Wow, no pressure.
“It’s kind of cool, because you realize that they believe in you more than you believe in yourself.”
“It’s interesting — when you tell people you work at Apple, you don’t feel like you have to qualify it. You’re just proud.”
Brian, Engineering Manager
You started here before you started here?
Answer:Yes, I had five college internships, including two at Apple. It was through Apple’s partnership with the GEM Fellowship to sponsor students from underrepresented communities who are pursuing engineering degrees.
Sounds like you had a few career choices.
Answer:For me, it was pretty clear. Apple was and is driven by people focused on the user experience. We ask what’s right. And not just for our products, but also for our practices.
Business practices?
Answer:Right — we’re responsible. About the environment, suppliers, and privacy, among other important issues. People can trust Apple with their information. Our work protects customers’ privacy and gives them control over their own data. I’m really proud I have a role in making that happen. In 15 years at Apple, my work hasn’t compromised my values.
“The way we do business is aligned with how I’d want to be treated as a customer.”
Is that 15 years in one job?
Answer:Oh, no, it’s about five different Apple hardware engineering jobs. That’s one of the advantages here — there’s always something else going on. I started here working on Mac, then joined the software support team in the iPad systems group right after the launch of the first iPad. And now the team I manage creates software for Apple accessories, among other things.
“In all my roles, there’s been a respect for people that affects everything we do.”
You planted roots, then branched out.
Answer: Right. Your responsibilities change and you find a new focus, helping your team perform and develop. Always something new.
So new that you get your name on a patent?
Answer: That’s right, for the iPad work. Even if friends and family don’t always understand the work, everyone knows that a patent means you did what no one’s ever done before.
Artwork on this page was illustrated on iPad.
