Today, we're excited to share that Michael Vaz is joining the team.

Michael is based in Portugal and has a background spanning sysadmin, networking, support engineering, and everything in between. Check out his personal website to find out more about him.

More about Michael

How did you get into software?

It all started with email. Not writing emails but running them. My first real deep-dive into tech was installing, configuring, and maintaining email servers. There's something special about making sure messages get delivered. It empowers communication. It unlocks workflows.

From there I kept on learning and experiencing other areas of technology. Networking, systems administration, technical support in cybersecurity and SaaS video. Each role taught me something new.

Sophos is where I was first introduced to SaaS, while continuing to work on several email-related products. It was there that I began to understand the email space more deeply.

Then came Loom, where I had the chance to be part of scaling a startup into a successful product and company. It was a really special chapter for me, and I’m hoping to find that same kind of journey and contribute meaningfully at Resend.

Looking back, every role was a step toward something I genuinely care about: unblocking people and making sure systems work well for them.

What does your desktop/home screen look like?

I casually work from coworking spaces, but I usually work from home. My setup is pretty simple: an open room with a standing desk, a MacBook Pro connected to a 24-inch external monitor, and a mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Red switches. I really love how smooth the Cherry Reds feel.

The desktop is clean. I like things organized and minimalist.

Why are you at Resend?

Email was my first passion in tech, and it never really went away. I first came across Resend a few months ago and something about it stuck with me.

When I met the team, it clicked fast. The product is genuinely amazing, easy to get started with and with depth to grow with your needs. The design is beautiful and everyone I met was sharp and kind.

Helping people is something I've always been drawn to. Getting to do that at Resend, whose values line up with mine, on a product I actually love to use, that feels special.

Where do you find #inspiration?

Family and friends, first. The people around me shape how I see problems and how I decide to solve them.

But professionally? I keep coming back to my time at Loom. We built something that genuinely changed how people communicate at work. Seeing that play out, the ideas that worked, the ones that didn't, the things that moved the needle, gave me real insights that I'm excited to bring here.

Human values drive good products. That's what I keep coming back to.

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

Most of my professional path hasn't been programming in the traditional sense. I did build scripts but it was not at the core of the role as sysadmin, network engineer or support. Resend is the closest I've ever been to the code itself, and I love how Resend empowers everyone to be a creator.

No matter what I was doing, I'd always want to be solving problems. That part doesn't change. The tools change but the drive doesn't.

Favorite tool?

Any log tool (like Datadog for example). When something breaks, logs are the truth and the data that drive solutions to unblock customers.

Favorite hotkey?

Ctrl+P, mapped to a custom screenshot shortcut in Loom. A picture (or a 30-second video) is worth a thousand words in a support ticket. Works for humans and for AI context too.

Favorite place to visit?

Costa Vicentina in Portugal. Raw coastline, almost no crowds, the kind of place that resets you. I have the best memories with my family there. If you've never been to that part of Portugal Southwest, put it on your list.

Advice for ambitious software engineers?

Lead with human values. Be professional, but be yourself. Share what you know. Embrace the weird corners of whatever you're building.

We don’t need to have all the answers. The people who tend to improve the most are the ones who are open about what they’re learning, show up as themselves, and try to support those around them. None of us have it all figured out, so we might as well learn together along the way.