10 Questions with Kimber Lockhart
Chief Technology Officer at One Medical
Kimber Lockhart is the Chief Technology Officer at One Medical, working to scale the technology innovations that underpin the re-invented doctor’s office and create a fully connected health engagement platform. Prior to joining, Kimber gained valuable experience at Box where she was most recently Senior Director of Web Application Engineering, leading a number of engineering teams behind the growing commercial success of the company. Before that, Kimber co-founded and ran her own software company, Increo, which was acquired by Box. She is Chairman of the Board for the San Francisco Circus Center and is also an amateur circus artist.
- When did you know you wanted to be in tech?
I remember as a kid, my dad would occasionally lug home a “laptop” from his office (it was the size of a suitcase)! I had no special affinity for technology early on, but I did love puzzles and creative problem solving, traits that I later discovered I had in common with many of the great minds in tech. I took my first computer science course as a prerequisite for another major in college and quickly discovered that my stereotype of engineers, antisocially typing ones and zeros while sitting in the basement into the wee hours of the morning, wasn’t accurate. I was hooked on the intellectual challenge and teamwork, as well as the power of realizing what I could create.
“I took my first computer science course as a prerequisite for another major in college… I was hooked on the intellectual challenge and teamwork, as well as the power of realizing what I could create.”
At first, I found myself intimidated by the gap between my knowledge and that of my classmates who had been coding since before they could walk. Over time, I’ve realized that the gap closes, and there are more than enough interesting challenges in tech to stay interesting for a long time.
2. Who’s been a role model you look up to?
I had a math professor in college who was tough, but also compassionate. He assigned work that was extremely challenging for the class, but also received us into the office (sometimes near tears) and slowly walked us through the parts we were missing. I learned a tremendous amount in that class and hope to balance similar high expectations with ready support as a leader.
3. Where is your hometown and how did it affect your upbringing?
I am from Ames, Iowa. Aside my my occasionally-folksy language, my early life in Iowa taught me two important lessons: I learned the value of hard work and the importance of community. I worked for a few summers out in the elements, planting, tending and harvesting crops. The work was hot and difficult, and I remember counting down the hours and minutes for my shift to end. Today, I feel incredibly blessed to have a job where I’m excited to go to work (almost) every Monday. In Ames, I also learned to do right in the community. Generosity isn’t optional. All of us share the responsibility to help our neighbors — locally and globally — with our time, our skills, and our finances.
“Generosity isn’t optional. All of us share the responsibility to help our neighbors — locally and globally — with our time, our skills, and our finances.”
4. What’s a struggle that you’ve faced in your career journey?
Struggles come in all shapes and sizes. I would like to share a small struggle that ended up having a large impact on the trajectory of my life and my career. Like many rising seniors, I had a number of post-grad opportunities. I’d spent the summer prior at a prestigious consulting firm and had a compelling opportunity to return. I’d interviewed for spots at Google and other skyrocketing technology companies. I’d been accepted into a Masters’ degree program in Computer Science. Aside from these opportunities, I had spent my spare time over the last year working on the concept, technology, and pitch for a startup technology company with a few of my classmates.
It wasn’t an easy decision — people I trusted were pushing me in all directions and I struggled with the uncertainty for some time. In the end, I went with my heart: I turned down the prestigious consulting job, dropped out of the masters’ program, and finished my undergraduate studies while simultaneously working full-time on the startup. It was a few years full of ups and downs of startup life, and we ultimately sold what we had created to Box. I’m very proud of the impact we had on Box’s trajectory, and what I learned in the process served as a fantastic launch point for the rest of my career.
5. Describe a time you were proud of yourself.
More than once, I’ve sat down with a candidate for an interview that opened like this: “you saved my friend’s life.” The candidate is clearly referring to the work of One Medical generally (not me specifically) but it’s incredible to hear the stories of how improving health care experiences makes a difference, whether it’s an affirmation that it’s only a cold or an early diagnosis of a life-threatening condition. While we’re not directly diagnosing and treating patients, I’m very proud of how my team supports and enables the incredible team of doctors and nurses out there saving lives (or at least keeping people healthier) every single day.
6. What’s something that has been on your mind lately?
I’ve been writing an essay on hero-making, that is, the way leaders can enable our team members to step up and do extraordinary things. Too often leaders are anti-hero, instituting processes that sap motivation, micromanaging or just getting in the way!
7. Comfort food of choice?
Strawberries. When I was a little girl we’d plant strawberries in the garden. Nothing more delicious than fresh-picked strawberries still warm from the sun.
8. Mac or PC?
Mac
9. If you could try another job for a day, what would it be?
I think I’d really enjoy being a handyperson. On the weekends my husband and I volunteer as installers for Rebuilding Together, installing safety equipment to keep low income seniors and people with disabilities in their homes. I love working with my hands, solving tricky problems, and knowing that something I constructed is making a difference in someone’s life.
10. If you could give your 18-year-old self a piece of advice, what would it be?
The feeling of fear is different from the actual assessment of risk. It feels scary to start a company, take over leading a team or speak in public, but it’s important to be able to feel the fear and act anyway.
