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Black History Month Series
In Conversation with KRISTEN BROWN
A Techronicler interview with Kristen Brown
From scaling a beauty business to modernizing public systems for the City of St. Louis, Kristen Brown has mastered the art of the pivot. Now working at the intersection of civic tech and hospitality AI, she is focused on a singular challenge: building lean, real-time models that work “during service, not just in theory.”
For our latest Black History Month spotlight, Rewriting the Code sat us down with Kristen to discuss her unique career trajectory, why “curiosity and accountability” are her growth accelerators, and how she is solving pain points for restaurant operators.
Techronicler:
Please share with our readers your experience in tech + what you currently do for work (and passion projects)!
Kristen Brown:
My name is Kristen Elise Brown, and I transitioned into tech after building and scaling a beauty business. I currently work as an Automation Developer for the City of St. Louis, where I help modernize public systems, and I’m also the founder of a hospitality technology company focused on improving restaurant operations. My work sits at the intersection of systems thinking, AI, and real-world service environments. I’m also a member of Rewriting the Code.
Techronicler:
What problem are you most excited to be working on right now?
Kristen Brown:
I’m most excited by the challenge of deeply understanding the day-to-day pain points of restaurant operators and owners. In parallel, I’m focused on identifying the leanest, fastest AI models that can deliver real-time inference—technology that works during service, not just in theory.
Techronicler:
What skill has been most important to your growth in tech so far?
Kristen Brown:
Two skills that have accelerated my growth are curiosity and accountability. Curiosity pushes me to ask better questions across teams, while accountability keeps me resourceful, coachable, and willing to iterate quickly. Together, they strengthen my ability to uncover meaningful problems and design practical solutions.
Techronicler:
What is some advice you want to give to other young women in the industry Black women entering the tech space? / What advice would you give to your younger self entering tech?
Kristen Brown:
Be a constant student of both the product and the people around you. Learn how adjacent teams think, talk to everyone, and don’t be afraid to put time on someone’s calendar. And try not to take critique personally. There’s often a signal worth extracting, even when the delivery isn’t perfect.
Techronicler:
What do you want people to understand about Black women in tech that often gets missed?
Kristen Brown:
We’ve had to look past statistics and microaggressions to show up whole. We carry ambition, care, and technical excellence at the same time, while rarely being afforded the margin for error. Black women in tech aren’t underrepresented because of a lack of talent or interest. We’re under-resourced, under-sponsored, and frequently expected to outperform to prove we belong. I’m so grateful that I had access to Rewriting the Code and specifically their 25 to F.I.N.I.S.H. Program. They sponsored students to attend Harvard’s WeCode conference. They enriched us with virtual events and in-person meetups that encompassed financial, professional, and emotional hygiene. There were the aunties in our corner, exposing us to the fluidity of our strengths. I had the most amazing year of college because of RTC.
You can’t quantify that sort of mental shift.
Kristen’s journey highlights a critical reality: Black women in tech are often “under-resourced and under-sponsored,” yet continue to drive innovation through sheer technical excellence and resilience. Her tribute to the “mental shift” provided by Rewriting the Code and their 25 to F.I.N.I.S.H. Program offers a blueprint for how the industry should be supporting talent.
If you wish to showcase your experience and expertise, participate in industry-leading discussions, and add visibility and impact to your personal brand and business, get in touch with the Techronicler team to feature in our fast-growing publication.
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