Meet the Pinterest Products Apprenticeship Cohort

Pinterest is excited to welcome our new cohort of eight Products Apprentices! The Pinterest Apprenticeship Program is an opportunity for candidates from non-traditional backgrounds to experience Product roles in tech. Apprentices work alongside the Pinterest Product team to accelerate their career development and collaborate on high-impact projects to bring Pinners from inspiration to realization in the following areas: Product Management, Product Design and UX Research. Today, you’ll meet our eight Apprentices and learn what they’re most looking forward to as they begin their journey as Pinployees.

Meet Layla Leal, Apprentice Product Designer 

Hi everyone! I’m Brazilian, and I moved to the US four years ago for an exchange program. Throughout my life, I was always involved in design/arts somehow! I love to paint, color and start new visual projects. I have a diverse background spanning architecture, sales and childcare. All of those previous experiences were based on human connections and empathy, and that’s what I bring to my design career! I’m mostly looking forward to learning from the incredible Gestalt team I’m on. Everyone is so knowledgeable and helpful, so this is a great opportunity for me to work on amazing projects and become a better professional. I’m also very excited to attend all the amazing workshops, talks and events at Pinterest. Can’t wait to attend my first Knit Con! Lately, I’m pinning workplace outfit ideas and decor inspiration for a future kitchen renovation!

Meet Aneesha Tucker, Apprentice UX Researcher

Hi, I’m Aneesha! I am a full-spectrum doula, poet, plant mom to over 30 plants and budding chef! I have an academic background and strong experience in the social justice non-profit space, digital narrative storytelling and community-centered design. I’m looking forward to learning more about UX research from the brilliant community of people here at Pinterest! Currently, I am pinning recipes I want to try (currently deep diving into the world of roasted potatoes) and books I want to read (love a good reflective book or afrofuturist fiction!).

Meet Bethany Burns, Apprentice Product Designer

My name is Bethany Burns! I’m a Georgia Peach and University of Georgia graduate (Go Dawgs!). Though I once thought I would use my college degree to work in the medical field, I found my true passion in UX/product design. I am over the moon for the opportunity to begin my career at a company that values inspiration and creativity at its core. I have been a Pinner for as long as I can remember, pinning everything from apartment decor inspiration to outfit ideas for the next season. I look forward to connecting with my team and shaping my skills to help create and design for a platform that has already given so much to me!

Meet Cristal Reyes, Apprentice UX Researcher 

After earning a degree in education, I packed my bags and moved back to my not-so-small hometown: NYC (definitely missed the pizza). After moving back, I taught 5th grade in the South Bronx for a year and then taught 11th-grade US history for the next four years. Currently, I’m pinning anything from food photography to interior design ideas for my new apartment. In my spare time, you can find me practicing yoga, searching for a new local food spot or trying to score hockey tickets (go Rangers!). I genuinely love learning new things, which is why I am thrilled to join the Measurement team! I’m looking forward to learning the ins and outs of UX research while collaborating with so many innovative minds!

Meet Camrick Solorio, Apprentice Product Manager

Hello everyone! My name is Camrick. I’m a first-generation American and proud Latino. I graduated from the University of Chicago just last year with a degree in Anthropology and minored in Media Arts and Design. Before Pinterest I worked in the gaming industry doing brand marketing, and in my free time, I enjoy cycling and playing video games. Pinterest is making big strides in shopping, and as an Apprentice Product Manager on the team, I’m looking forward to how much I’ll get to learn from my incredibly talented mentor, manager and team! With fall around the corner, I’ve been pinning lots of inspiration for fall fashion and autumn hair colors.

Meet Munachim Ezema, Apprentice Product Manager

Hello everyone! I am Munachim Ezema. I am an Apprentice Product Manager on the Browse team. My educational background is in chemical engineering and in cosmetic science. Before joining Pinterest I was a product specialist, a research & development scientist in the cosmetics space and prior to that, I was a project manager at a petroleum company. I am looking forward to contributing to the development of an impactful product people can use to get inspired and create a life they love. I am currently pinning fashion pieces.

Meet Darien Boyd, Apprentice Product Manager

I was born and raised on the southside of Chicago where I fell in love with basketball and technology. I went to undergrad at Pomona College in Claremont, CA, where I majored in economics. Shortly after graduation, I started my career in M&A consulting focusing on due diligence, deal management and dashboard development. I loved the strategy component of the work as well as being able to build tangible tools for clients, which ultimately led me down a path to product here at Pinterest! I’m looking forward to contributing towards building positive experiences that Pinners love, and getting to know the amazing people here. Most recently, I’ve been pinning sneakers. I’m keeping an eye on a couple pairs, trying to decide which will be next for me (I’ve been a sneakerhead since I was in middle school!).

Meet Denisse Sequeira, Apprentice Product Manager

I am a Maryland-native at heart, although I currently reside in Pittsburgh, PA with my husband, Morales and our rambunctious corgi, Cruz. I moved to Pittsburgh for college and just never left, spending most of my post-college career in healthcare. I worked several years in clinical research and then shifted to strategy and project management work within a health insurance company. In my spare time, I enjoy baking, trying to keep my plants alive and practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I am excited to join the Developer Platform team and am looking forward to learning and growing as a product manager. I am currently Pinning lots of fall outfit ideas now that the weather is getting cooler, bread recipes and brownstone houses because a girl can dream.

Welcome to Pinterest, Products Apprentices! We can’t wait to witness the immense impact you have on our teams and Pinners. Learn more about our Products Apprenticeship program here  and check back for applications in 2023.