This year, we launched Voices of Hiya, a new monthly blog series where we spotlight one outstanding Hiyan to share more about our team and what it’s like to work at Hiya. Every aspect of our employees, both inside and outside of work, makes our team special.
This month, we’re featuring Reena Bansal, director of engineering at Hiya. Reena is based in San Jose, California. Read on to discover her impact at Hiya and what makes her a critical member of our community.
What is your role at Hiya?
I am the Director of Engineering at Hiya. My teams are responsible for all the Cloud infrastructure that hosts our products and services, providing a platform that offers resiliency, high scalability, high availability, observability, and very low latency. The platform also enables Hiya customers to integrate with Hiya services in ways that best meet their needs and offer control over their customers' call experience.
How did you end up at Hiya?
I was exploring opportunities in the market, and a recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn. Hiya’s mission to protect and connect businesses and people with trust resonated with me, and the long-term opportunity looked very promising.
How has working at Hiya helped you grow?
I came to Hiya from a long experience at a large fintech company, and Hiya has given me the opportunity to expand my knowledge in the domain of mobile networking. The experience of working at a fast-paced startup has opened up new possibilities for me to learn about areas I previously wasn’t exposed to - including decisions about market expansion, partnerships, and growth plans.
What does happiness mean to you?
Happiness for me is spending time with my family or outdoors. Being in nature brings me a lot of joy.
What is your favorite home-cooked meal?
I am from India, and my favorite home-cooked meal is garbanzo bean curry with ‘bhatura’, a deep-fried dough similar to Hungarian Lángos.
What are the qualities of a perfect teammate?
They are someone with whom I can communicate openly and honestly and who are willing to roll up their sleeves if needed.
Where is home for you?
I am originally from India. I was born and raised there and lived in New Delhi before migrating to the US. I spent a couple of years living in Indiana, but now home is in the Bay Area (San Jose, California).
What kind of music inspires you? Who is your favorite musician?
I am a big Bollywood fan, and depending on my mood, I enjoy the classic, soother music or loud, energetic dance numbers.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
The power to teleport to anywhere in the world. I wouldn’t have to worry about standing in lines at airports or traveling in a cramped airplane.
When was the last time you took a moment to enjoy nature? What did you do?
A couple of weeks ago, my family spent Labor Day weekend enjoying Carmel by the Sea beaches in California.
What are your favorite movies to show to your friends?
Having grown up in India, I love Bollywood movies, but my favorite classic Hollywood movie is The Sound of Music. When I visited Austria a few years ago, I spent a few days in Salzburg and visited several of the movie’s locations.
What was your most memorable day off work or school?
One of my most memorable days off was spent at the Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. It is quite strenuous but the most scenic 15-mile trail. I had trained for the hike for a few months, and when I reached the peak, the exhilaration of having accomplished something I cherished for so long was indescribable. The experience was memorable for two reasons: I accomplished the challenge I had set for myself and got to do it with my daughter and a dear friend.
What’s your dream trip?
My dream trip is a three-week trip worldwide, traveling across five continents and covering exotic places like Machu Picchu, Cambodia, Bhutan, Petra, and Marrakech, which I plan to do one day. However, my next trip is to my native country, India, to visit my family.
What motivates you to do your best every day?
It’s about touching people's lives, protecting them, and improving their experience daily. At Hiya, we protect people from fraud and spam calls and help carriers secure their calls. Knowing that our daily work helps improve the world, one phone call at a time.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Be yourself and stay true to your beliefs.
Stay tuned for next month’s Voices of Hiya, where we highlight another team member who makes up our wonderful organization.
If you are interested in adding your voice to the Hiya team, check out our careers page to explore open opportunities.
