About me

Hi! My name is Enrique Alcántara. Currently, I am a Senior Frontend Engineer at GitLab. I belong to the Create::Editor group  with a focus on the development of the Content Editor component. I’d like to share in this page some details about who I am and how I work in this page.

Who I am

  • I was born in Santo Domino, Dominican Republic. It is also the place where I currently live (UTC-4000).
  • Learning and self-improvement are my passions. Cultivating an interest in a new knowledge area or discovering ways of performing better creates a deep sense of fulfillment in me.
  • I’m a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, and I’ve been in a relationship with my partner for 5+ years.
  • I love going to the gym and practicing outdoor activities. My happy place is looking at a sunset on a long walk on the beach.
  • Cooking is another of my passions. It allows me to disconnect and create something that makes happy the people I love.
  • I’m an introvert, and I usually need time to recharge after social interactions.

How I like to communicate

Asynchronous communication is my preferred communication style. I strive to write things down eloquently, in simple terms, and providing context that allows the reader to understand thoroughly at their pace. My favorite benefit of asynchronous communication is that it enables us to include people from all time zones in conversations.

A natural consequence of the previous point is that I avoid synchronous communication when it’s reasonable. I prefer having meetings to align points of view and creating rapport, not having long technical discussions. I prepare goals and discussion points ahead to make the most efficient use of everyone’s time.

Meetings aside, I enjoy 1-1 calls because they allow me to create genuine human connections.

How I like to work

I believe that kindness at work is necessary. I feel proud when I am kind without losing transparency. Software development is a social activity; therefore, we should put our humanity first. Kindness and honesty are the foundation of trust.

I prefer feedback to be candid and to happen when it is relevant. Please, don’t assume that feedback will affect our work relationship. I see every feedback as an opportunity for my professional growth and to look at myself from an external perspective.

I prefer depth rather the breadth. I enjoy specializing in knowledge areas. Focusing on a few areas allows me to make meaningful contributions while keeping a healthy work-life balance.

Once I develop an interest in a topic, I become very passionate, sometimes to the point of obsession. I’m excited about the opportunity of working on projects that allow me to fulfill my passion for learning.

I have a strong sense of ownership and accountability for my work. As a downside, I can be overly protective of the projects that I’m working on.