Jean Lee

Engineer turned AI Educator | Ex-WhatsApp Engineer & Meta Manager | Helping ambitious techies stay ahead of AI

San Francisco Bay Area

About

I’m Jean—an ex-WhatsApp early engineer and Meta manager with over 20 years in tech. I was an early engineer at WhatsApp before its $19B acquisition by Meta, then led engineering teams at Meta, where I experienced firsthand how technology evolves and shapes the world. Now, I’m on a mission to break down how AI is changing our careers, industries, and the future of work. AI will transform how we work, learn, and live, and many are overwhelmed by what this means—especially those without access or context. My goal is to simplify these concepts and make them accessible to everyone—whether you’re starting in tech, pivoting careers, or just curious about AI’s impact. I’m here to bring credible, practical insights into the conversation, helping you not just keep up, but take advantage of AI opportunities. No hype. No jargon. Just real-world insights for navigating AI and what’s next. ⭐️ Check out our YouTube channel >> https://youtube.com/@exaltitude ⭐ Get FREE resources on our website >> EXA https://www.exaltitude.io/?utm_source=linkedin

Experience

  • Founder at Exaltitude
    Mar 2021 - Present · 5 yrs 4 mos

    EXA is a community centered around self-learning, connection-building, and leadership. Gain clarity about yourself and your career goals, and find the support you need to get there.

  • Author at Beauty Queen in Silicon Valley
    May 2020 - Oct 2021 · 1 yr 6 mos

    Author of upcoming YA fiction Beauty Queen in Silicon Valley about a pageant queen Emma Park - when she follows her ex, Nate, to Silicon Valley, she sticks out like a Barbie doll in the video game aisle. Emma must define her real dream and decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to achieve it. http://jeanlee.world/

  • WhatsApp Inc. (7 yrs 6 mos)
    • Software Engineering Manager
      Jul 2018 - Dec 2019 · 1 yr 6 mos

      As one of the first three Eng Managers to kick-start the WhatsApp engineering office for London, I nurtured the WhatsApp engineering culture through team building and lead growth strategies in partnership with recruiting and leadership. In just 18 months, we grew our London engineering office to 100!

    • Software Engineering Manager
      Feb 2017 - Jun 2018 · 1 yr 5 mos

      We developed tools to speed up and scale development for WhatsApp engineers, enabling rapid iteration while safely delivering WhatsApp to the 1.6 billion monthly active users.

    • Software Engineer
      Jul 2012 - Feb 2017 · 4 yrs 8 mos

      I was the 19th engineer to join WhatsApp prior to the $19B acquisition by Facebook

  • Consultant at Consultant
    Jan 2009 - Jul 2011 · 2 yrs 7 mos

    I took some time off to travel around the world while taking on client work stretching from Samsung Electronics to up-and-coming tech startups

  • Consultant at IBM
    May 2007 - Jan 2009 · 1 yr 9 mos

    Implemented a new order management system to harmonize and standardize client’s business processes and systems in a $3B+ project