Hands-on Global Tech Lead · New York

Liza Volkova

15+ years building consumer platforms used by millions and AI advisors that help customers find the right product.

Selected brand work

Selected work

Internal tool

Skincare content updater

A tool that lets brand teams update skincare diagnostic content across markets without an engineering handoff. I built the full-stack Next.js application, working with backend teams on API access and authentication and adding automated content validation.

In-store · Valtech

Samsung in-store showroom

A touchscreen showroom that let shoppers explore Samsung appliances beyond the models stocked in store. At Valtech, I led the React experience for Best Buy installations, resolving animation tearing and improving responsiveness on constrained hardware.

Read the Valtech case study

Experience

2018 – Present

The Estée Lauder Companies Global Tech Lead

  • Lead frontend engineering across 20+ global beauty brands, building shopping platforms and AI-powered customer experiences.
  • Modernize shared platforms and improve release practices, helping brands launch new experiences faster and maintain them over time.
Aug 2015 – 2018

Valtech Technical Lead

Led distributed teams building consumer experiences for Samsung, Chanel, and L’Oréal, including Samsung’s in-store touchscreen and the Atelier Beauté CHANEL companion web app. Built Next.js applications with Hybris and Adobe Experience Manager integrations. CHANEL coverage in Vogue ↗

Jun 2011 – Aug 2015

Avon Content Technology Architect

Defined architecture and roadmaps for B2B and B2C applications serving 50+ markets. Managed technology vendors and worked with UX teams to improve CMS workflows.

Jan 2010 – May 2011

Solutions Development Associate The SCE Group

Earlier role: Freelance Web Developer, Self-Employed (June 2008 – June 2009).

The full history is in the resume and on LinkedIn.

Personal project

Web & iOS · Pre-beta

AI Garden Planner

An app that helps gardeners plan seasonal plantings, track their gardens, and prioritize care based on local weather. I’m the sole builder, owning the full-stack architecture and delivery and coordinating AI agents across design, engineering, and QA. It’s currently pre-beta.

  • Next.js
  • Expo / React Native
  • PostgreSQL
  • OpenAI & RAG

Skills

Languages and frameworks

  • TypeScript
  • JavaScript (ES6+)
  • React
  • Next.js
  • Node.js
  • Expo / React Native
  • Astro
  • HTMX
  • PHP

APIs and data

  • REST API design & integration
  • GraphQL (consumer)
  • Supabase
  • PostgreSQL
  • Database schema design
  • Authentication

AI applications and tools

  • LLM-powered conversational interfaces
  • LLM API integration: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google
  • RAG
  • Multi-agent orchestration
  • Claude Code
  • Codex
  • GitHub Copilot

Analytics

  • Google Analytics: tagging & event instrumentation

Delivery and quality

  • Jenkins deployments
  • GitHub Actions (CI/CD)
  • Vitest
  • Playwright
  • Storybook
  • Drupal
  • Accessible UI (WCAG)

About

Beyond work

I have a habit of collecting hobbies, but gardening and costume-making have stayed with me for years. I’m a self-taught sewist and award-winning cosplayer with a soft spot for historical dress. Technology often finds its way into both—from learning to 3D model and print cosplay pieces to building an app that makes planning and tracking my garden easier.

You can see what I’ve been making at Adventures in Time Art, my cosplay portfolio. I designed and built that site too, using Next.js and Storyblok.

I studied at Barnard College, Columbia University, earning a B.A. in Physics and Economics-Mathematics.