Kara Cannon
About Kara Cannon
Kara Cannon is a Principal Software Engineer at Riot Games, where she has worked since 2020. With a background in software engineering and instructional technology, she contributes to technical strategy and standards at League Studios.
Work at Riot Games
Kara Cannon has been a Principal Software Engineer at Riot Games since 2020. In this role, she engages in technical scoping, design, and architecture, contributing to the technology strategy at League Studios. Prior to her current position, she served as a Senior Software Engineer from 2016 to 2020 and as a Software Engineer from 2013 to 2016. Throughout her tenure at Riot Games, she has participated in workgroups that define technical standards at League Studios Tech Foundations.
Education and Expertise
Kara Cannon holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Alma College, where she studied from 2000 to 2004. She later pursued a Master of Science in Information at the University of Michigan, completing her studies from 2005 to 2007. Her educational background supports her expertise in software engineering and technical leadership, allowing her to coach others in both technical approaches and soft skills.
Background
Kara Cannon's career began with various roles in technology and development. She worked as an Editorial Intern at Observer Eccentric and Hometown Newspapers in 2002. Following that, she held positions at Perich Advertising + Design as an Interactive Development Intern from 2005 to 2007 and as an Engineering Contractor at Enlighten for five months in 2007. She then joined the National Football League, where she progressed through several roles, including Application Developer, Senior Application Developer, and Manager of Application Development.
Professional Experience
Kara Cannon has extensive experience in software engineering across various organizations. She worked at the National Football League from 2007 to 2013, where she developed applications and managed development teams. After her time at the NFL, she returned to Riot Games, where she has taken on increasing responsibilities, including serving as a project or technical lead and navigating complex codebases that incorporate a wide range of technologies.
Coaching and Leadership
In her current role, Kara Cannon actively coaches others in technical approaches and soft skills, including interviewing techniques. She serves as a project or technical lead as needed, leveraging her expertise across web, game, mobile, service, and infrastructure technologies. Her involvement in defining technical standards and her leadership in workgroups demonstrate her commitment to fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.