Maria Naggaga is a technology leader, software engineer, and AI innovator at Microsoft, where she serves as AI Tooling and Developer Experience Lead within the Core AI organization. Passionate about making technology more accessible, Maria has built a career around simplifying complex development tools and empowering developers to create innovative solutions with confidence. Throughout her career, Maria has played a pivotal role in advancing some of Microsoft's most impactful developer technologies. Her contributions include helping simplify ASP.NET through Minimal APIs, supporting the development of Try .NET's online code runner, and contributing to .NET Interactive, a powerful multi-language code engine that enables developers, students, and organizations to learn, experiment, and build more effectively. With deep expertise spanning software engineering, developer tooling, cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, and platform architecture, Maria focuses on creating intuitive experiences that remove barriers for developers and accelerate innovation. Her work bridges the gap between advanced technology and practical application, helping organizations and individuals harness the full potential of modern software development. As artificial intelligence continues to transform the technology landscape, Maria has become a recognized leader in AI tooling and library development. She is committed to building tools that enable developers to integrate AI capabilities more efficiently while fostering greater accessibility and understanding of emerging technologies. Maria's professional journey demonstrates the power of curiosity, continuous learning, and perseverance. Through her leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to developer success, she inspires the next generation of technology professionals to pursue careers in software engineering, artificial intelligence, and technology innovation. Her work continues to shape the future of developer experiences, helping make powerful technologies more approachable, productive, and impactful for people around the world.
Their story
Failed Lawyer - Successful Tech Professional Microsoft
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Key quotes
“As a person who grew up with dyslexia, for the first time I was reading something that made absolute sense to me. I don't know why code looks better for me as a dyslexic than anything else, but I was just like, oh, I can understand this.”
Maria Naggaga, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
“You belong here. And if you want it, it's here for the taking. So don't be afraid. There are people in tech waiting for you.”
Maria Naggaga, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
“He wrote on a review of mine that I was being sassy. He used the word sassy to describe me and difficult. And he also called me loud. What I am is that I speak with passion. And that is absolutely normal.”
Maria Naggaga, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
“I don't think there is a standard anymore on what it takes to be in the engineering world because we have so many different people here that it can be open to anyone. You don't need a four year degree any longer.”
Maria Naggaga, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
“Get to know as many people as you can, specifically when you are a person who is in an underrepresented group. Because you need more advocates. You need more allies and you need more people who are going to create opportunities for you.”
Maria Naggaga, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
Career highlights
You don't need a traditional path to get into tech — curiosity and a willingness to learn matter more than a perfect résumé.
Maria described meeting engineers who came from backgrounds like jewelry design, medicine, music, and warehouse work. She emphasizes that the industry has a shortage of over a million developers and needs people from all walks of life.
Networking isn't about being fake — it's about building real advocates who will open doors for you, especially if you're from an underrepresented group.
Maria specifically calls out that people in underrepresented groups need more allies and advocates in their corner to help accelerate their careers.
Don't be afraid to try something new and switch directions in your career — staying too long in one lane can slow your growth.
Maria reflects that she wishes she had tried more products and teams earlier in her career, because moving around builds your résumé and opens unexpected doors.
A Program Manager (or Product Manager) role in tech is a real option if you love strategy, creativity, and people — you don't have to write code every single day.
Maria explains her role as setting vision, talking to customers, and reviewing work — not daily coding. This is the same type of role called 'Product Manager' at Google, Facebook, and Amazon.
If you're experiencing discrimination or gaslighting at work, your feelings are valid — and you can still fight for more representation while continuing to thrive.
Maria was candid about having a racist boss who used the word 'sassy' on her review, and about being one of only eight Black employees — and the only Black woman — when she joined her current team.
Your passions don't have to live only inside your job — let your whole self show up, inside work and outside of it.
Maria mentioned that she loves to draw and is currently writing a children's book, even while leading AI tooling at Microsoft. She knows engineers who also design clothes.