I build Quality Engineering organizations that are relevant, valued, and empowered.
I'm Kia Duran — a Quality Engineering executive with over 12 years of experience building and scaling high-performing QE organizations at SaaS and platform companies.
My work sits at the intersection of engineering strategy, team development, and delivery excellence. I've built QE organizations from the ground up, scaled them through rapid growth, and transformed them from traditional QA functions into strategic engineering partners embedded in every stage of delivery.
I believe quality isn't something you bolt on at the end — it's a culture, a system, and a leadership responsibility. I bring that conviction to every organization I work with, along with a practical, people-first approach to making it stick.
When I'm not thinking about release readiness and automation strategy, I'm exploring how AI-augmented testing is reshaping what's possible for modern engineering teams.
Quality Engineering isn't a gatekeeping function — it's a consulting organization that enables teams to make smart, risk-aware decisions. When quality ownership is distributed, outcomes improve for everyone.
The earlier quality is considered in the SDLC, the cheaper and faster it is to address. I build systems and cultures that pull quality into planning, not just testing — reducing downstream risk and accelerating delivery.
Quality without visibility is guesswork. I build metrics frameworks and dashboards that give engineering and executive leadership clear signal on release readiness, defect trends, and team health.
Sustainable quality requires people who feel safe raising concerns, challenging assumptions, and learning from failure. Inclusive, equitable engineering cultures aren't a nice-to-have — they're a prerequisite for innovation.
A few examples of how I've turned quality challenges into engineering strengths.
Inherited a QE function operating as a downstream support team. Redesigned the org model, introduced new leadership tiers, and repositioned quality as an embedded engineering discipline across web, mobile, and platform.
Joined during a period of rapid organizational expansion. Built the company's first SDET organization, established a long-term automation roadmap, and scaled the team from 3 to 24 engineers while developing new management talent.
Introduced structured automation strategy and quality metrics where none existed. Partnered with product and engineering leadership on delivery planning and risk assessment as the company scaled its SaaS platform.
What a newborn taught me about leading engineering teams — an ongoing series.
I'm currently open to Director and Senior Engineering Manager opportunities at remote-first SaaS companies. If you're building a quality engineering practice that needs a thoughtful, strategic leader — I'd love to talk.