Ruby Isley

About Me

Ruby Isley

Hi, I'm Ruby — a Technical Program Manager living in San Francisco, working on scaling capacity infrastructure and enabling AI quickly, efficiently, and ethically.

I started my career at the intersection of AI, information systems, public policy, and ethics, which gave me a unique lens on the complex challenge of responsible technology. I care about striking a balance between innovation and privacy, security, and integrity.

When I'm not thinking about capacity planning, I'm practicing yoga, reading (sci-fi or memoirs), going to the movies, and playing with my two cats, Pumpkin and Lima Bean.

Pumpkin and Lima Bean

I believe in empathy in technology and everyday life. I believe that movies are always better when watched at a movie theatre, and that plant-based milk should cost less than dairy milk.

What I've Done

Here's a snapshot — download my full resume for more detail.

What I Care About

Technology shapes the world — and I think the people building it have a responsibility to do so thoughtfully. Here's what guides me.

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Ethical AI

AI is only as good as the values baked into it. I published research on algorithmic bias and AI governance, and I bring that lens to every infrastructure and program decision I make.

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Privacy

People's data deserves to be treated with care. I've spent years managing privacy compute infrastructure and believe strong privacy practices are a feature, not a constraint.

📚

Reading

If I'm reading something really good I will abandon everything until the book is done. I usually fall into phases where I read a lot of one genre at once. Right now I'm interested in non-fiction about old Hollywood. Before that I was on a memoir kick. Here is my Goodreads profile, where I track my books, and try (and fail) to beat my annual book challenge.

🎬

Going to the Movies

I'm a proponent of supporting local movie theatres (there are so many good ones in SF). The movies is one of the best third spaces we have! Check out my Letterboxd to see what I'm watching.

🍜

Trying New Food

Hot take: the food scene is better in the Bay Area than in New York (I used to live in Manhattan and before that Connecticut). Of course New York has more of everything, but SF has a crazy food scene relative to its size — not to mention the rest of the Bay Area! I love trying new dishes and finding new places to eat. It's hard but I rank everywhere I go on Beli (@rubyisley). Can you tell I love making lists? I'm a sucker for an app that combines something I love with an opportunity to make a list.

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Efficiency with Intention

Driving $58M in infrastructure savings wasn't just about cost — it was about freeing up resources to do more meaningful work. I care about doing things well and doing them right.

Projects & Work

Publications

Algorithmic Bias and Its Implications: How to Maintain Ethics through AI Governance
Isley, R. (2022). N.Y.U. American Public Policy Review.

An examination of how algorithmic bias manifests in AI systems and the policy and governance frameworks needed to ensure ethical outcomes — drawing on case studies in hiring, criminal justice, and content moderation.

Read the paper →

Personal Projects

📚 Personal Book Recommendation Engine

I read a lot — and I got tired of staring at my "want to read" shelf wondering what to pick up next. So I built an app to help me decide. It pulls in NYT bestseller lists, surfaces trending and critically talked-about titles, and connects to my Goodreads account to analyze my reading history, ratings, and the books sitting in my queue. From there it generates personalized recommendations based on what I've loved, what I've abandoned, and what I keep meaning to get to. Part practical tool, part excuse to think carefully about what makes a book resonate — it's a project that sits squarely at the intersection of the two things I love most: data and a good story.

Book Recommender — loading screen Book Recommender — results screen

Skills

Certifications

Microsoft Office — Excel 2016 Certified Microsoft Azure Data Fundamentals UiPath AI Automator / RPA UiPath Business Analyst UiPath Document Understanding

Technical Skills

R SQL HTML CSS Linux / Unix Systems Administration Computer Networking IT Support / Debugging Software Implementation / SDLC

Infrastructure & Capacity Management

Compute Capacity Planning & Demand Forecasting GPU Fleet Management Infrastructure Resource Optimization Quota Management & Headroom Analysis AI/ML Infrastructure Scaling Long-Range Infrastructure Planning SEV Mitigation & Incident Response

Program & Change Management

Large-Scale Program Management Cross-Functional Stakeholder Management Change Management & Org Migrations Process Documentation & Standardization Workstream Operationalization Executive Communication & Reporting

Data Analysis & Financial Operations

Cost Attribution Management Utilization Data Analysis & Validation FinOps / Infrastructure Cost Optimization KPI Development Efficiency Opportunity Identification & Tracking

Privacy & AI Ethics

Data Privacy Infrastructure Regulatory Compliance Program Management

Get In Contact

I'd love to hear from you — whether it's a collaboration, a question, or just a hello.