Compliance is an essential part of the email industry. Our whole purpose hinges on keeping the bad actors out of the inbox and helping the good folks get in.

This is why we're so excited to announce that Anna Ward is joining Resend as Postmaster. For those in the email industry, Anna is a familiar face. She's led compliance efforts for over 10+ years at places like Wildbit (Postmark) and Mailchimp.

She brings a wealth of connections and expertise around getting the right people into the inbox.

More about Anna

How did you get into software?

I was raised on a farm with no access to the internet, so my first introduction to [gestures broadly at everything] was when I decided to take a basic programming class at Georgia Tech as a math major. Later I got a job at an email service provider, and I saw a widening knowledge gap around troubleshooting deliverability that I was willing to fill.

As my curiosity and experience grew, I began directly managing email infrastructure, setting up systems for detecting and mitigating abuse, and leading the adoption of best practices and evolving standards. I essentially took it upon myself to stare into the email abyss, and so now I'm an abyss domain expert of 11+ years.

What does your desktop/home screen look like?

The little moon is my tidy-up folder. Keeping the weather visible reminds me to take my laptop to the back garden whenever possible (or at least open the window!).

Why are you at Resend?

I'm an email nerd! Email is critical infrastructure, and Resend understands this completely by prioritizing reliability, transparency, and a developer-first experience. I too want to drive innovation in this space, so joining this brilliant, passionate team was an opportunity I couldn't pass up!

Where do you find #inspiration?

My 9-month-old daughter is pure magic, and she absolutely runs (well, wobbles) my entire life. Watching her learn about the world with so much confidence and curiosity inspires me to approach new things with the same wonder. Cliché warning, but she's my tiny reminder that growth takes patience, joy is in the little things, and life itself is an incredible adventure. :sob::heart:

If you weren't programming, what would you be doing?

I'd probably be a professional organizer. It's deeply satisfying to transform a chaotic space into something neat and orderly (it clears my head at the same time!), but I'm also weirdly good at accommodating other people's needs and intuition. My sister says she can immediately find whatever she needs in my house because it's "always exactly where you'd want it".

Favorite tool?

For work, does swaks count? For home, it's gotta be the group decision-making app Handshake.

Favorite hotkey?

Cmd + Ctrl + Space, because I'm a millennial who can't communicate without emojis. :cowboy_hat_face: But also, hot corners are underrated.

Favorite place to visit?

Cape May, New Jersey. I've been a million times now because it's a quick drive from our house, but it actually shifts me into that elusive relaxation mode. What could beat an hour's drive (or a couple of trains) to a Victorian bed & breakfast by the ocean??

Advice for ambitious software engineers?

Don't just network when you need something. Take the time to genuinely connect with people, listen to their challenges, and please-oh-please offer help whenever you can (even if it's outside your immediate interests). Strong relationships open doors in unexpected ways.