Beyond the horizon: How Kemi Elizabeth Ojogbede used storytelling to build better tech

Welcome to Beyond the horizon, a monthly series celebrating the people who shape Upsun’s culture, innovation, and heart. In this month’s edition of Beyond the Horizon, we're featuring Kemi Elizabeth Ojogbede, one of the many voices behind Upsun, shaping every developer's experience: our documentation. As a Senior Technical Writer, Kemi works closely with teams across the company to turn complex product knowledge into guidance that's clear, accurate, and genuinely useful—so users can build with confidence.

Kemi's path into tech is anything but traditional, and that's exactly what makes her perspective so powerful. With roots in storytelling, journalism, and data science, she brings a mix of curiosity and craft to her work—grounded in a belief that empathy in engineering isn't "soft". Instead, it's a technical skill that changes how we communicate, how we design, and who we make space for.

In her story, she also speaks candidly about navigating the industry as a Black woman and how the absence of representation can quietly shape confidence and belonging. Rather than waiting to see herself reflected, she chose to be the representation she was looking for: showing up, speaking up, and making space for others to feel less alone in tech.

Tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do at Upsun and most importantly, who are you outside of work?

I’m a Senior Technical Writer at Upsun, where I manage our developer-facing technical documentation. I sit within the Developer Advocacy team alongside a brilliant group of engineers, developer advocates, and fellow writers. My role is highly collaborative: I work closely with product managers and engineers across the company to understand both new and existing features, then translate that knowledge into documentation that’s clear, accurate, and genuinely useful for our users.

Because my job is to explain complex systems in a way that’s actionable and approachable, I make a point of understanding things deeply before I write about them. That curiosity and willingness to ask questions  is a big part of how I work.

What really draws me to technical writing is my belief that empathy is a core technical skill. I transitioned into tech from a background in journalism and later data science, and during my master’s in Data Science I remember how overwhelming it could feel when concepts weren’t explained with learners of different levels in mind. That experience stayed with me. I care deeply about education and knowledge-sharing, and I try to bring that mindset into everything I write. I like meeting people where they are, and helping them move forward with confidence.

For a long time, I thought being empathetic, bubbly, and emotionally expressive wasn’t compatible with working in engineering. I assumed I needed to be tougher, quieter and a bit more detached. Over time, I’ve realised the opposite is true: empathy isn’t a weakness in tech, it’s a strength. It helps us design better products, write better documentation, and build more inclusive experiences.

Outside of work, I’m very much a girly nerd. I love anime (Naruto, Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man are my favourites) as much as sci-fi and horror films (My favourite films are The Matrix and Hereditary). I'm a big theatre fan, and you’ll usually find me reading fiction, writing prose, or singing along to musical soundtracks in my spare time (especially Hamilton or The Waitress).

If you could describe your journey in one sentence, what would it be?

If I had to describe my journey in one word, it would be unconventional. I haven’t taken a traditional route into technical writing, but I’ve come to see that as one of my biggest strengths.

When I was younger, I dreamed of becoming the next Shonda Rhimes. I’ve always been obsessed with writing, storytelling, and communication. Looking back, what fascinated me most wasn’t just storytelling itself, but the challenge of communicating experiences and ideas in a way that people could truly understand. In many ways, that’s still what I do today - just through technical documentation rather than TV scripts.

I studied English with Creative Writing for my undergraduate degree, followed by a master’s in Contemporary Literature and Cultural Theory. I worked in journalism and Content Marketing before deciding to pivot into tech, where I completed a second Master’s degree in Data Science. Learning Python became my gateway into engineering, particularly through working with NLP techniques like sentiment analysis and text tokenisation.

Throughout my career, learning and teaching have been constant themes. I even wanted to be a university lecturer at one point (my nickname at home is still “Professor”). I’m a strong believer in curiosity and knowledge-sharing. I wouldn’t know what I do today if I hadn’t been willing to ask questions, feel uncomfortable, and learn out loud. That mindset is what ultimately led me to technical writing: a role where communication, empathy, and technical understanding meet.

What's a challenge you've faced and how have you grown from it? 

Being a Black woman in tech comes with its own set of challenges. For much of my career, I've often been the only person from a diverse background on my team. That lack of representation can be isolating, and for a long time, I internalised it as a sign that maybe I didn't fully belong in this industry.

At times, that feeling held me back. I hesitated to put myself forward because I couldn't see people like me reflected in those spaces. Over time, though, I realised that waiting to see yourself represented can become its own barrier.

So instead, I decided to be the representation I was seeking.

If I couldn't see Black women represented in tech or developer-facing roles, I wanted to be visible myself. That decision is a big part of why I’ve pushed myself to speak at conferences and get more involved in developer advocacy. I care deeply about helping people feel less alone and letting them know that there’s space in tech for many kinds of voices, personalities, and experiences.

Is there someone at Upsun who played a key role in your journey or made your experience possible?

Greg Qualls had been incredibly impactful in my journey at Upsun. 

Greg’s unwavering belief in bringing authenticity, emotional intelligence, and personality into tech reminded me that empathy isn’t separate from good engineering. He always considers the human behind the user, developer, or client, and that perspective has completely shaped how I approach our documentation: How will people learn this best? Will they understand the feature? Is it accessible? 

Beyond that, he gently encouraged me to step into visibility, speak at conferences, and let my enthusiasm shine, showing me that being fully myself is a strength.

As we say at Upsun, 'Your greatest work is just on the horizon.' What's the next horizon you're excited to reach on your journey?

I want to make our documentation as clear, accessible, and inclusive as possible, so no one feels left behind when learning our product. My goal is to set a gold standard for documentation, ensuring that anyone using Upsun - from first-time users to experienced users - can succeed with confidence and ease. At the same time, I'm excited to expand my public speaking presence, sharing insights on communicating complex ideas in ways anyone can understand while fostering empathy, clarity, and accessibility in tech.

By making our docs more inclusive and sharing what I've learned publicly, I hope to inspire others to contribute and bring their authentic selves to their work, helping create a culture where everyone can thrive. I'm a writer and lifelong learner at heart, and I'm confident that my perspective and voice can create meaningful impact, both through the work I produce in documentation and the ideas I share with the wider tech community.

As we wrap up this month's journey, Kemi's story reminds us that clarity is never just technical; it's deeply human. Her commitment to thoughtful communication, inclusive learning, and meeting people where they are reflects the kind of care that strengthens our product and our culture. We're grateful to have Kemi shaping how developers experience Upsun, and showing what's possible when empathy and expertise work side by side.

Join us next month as we continue to spotlight the people whose stories shape our culture and expand what's possible at Upsun. 💙