Steve Flanders

I build and lead engineering teams at the intersection of observability, AI, and developer experience. My mission is simple: help organizations turn raw telemetry into meaningful insights that improve performance, resilience, and cost efficiency, without losing the human touch.As an Engineering Leader in the observability space, I’ve scaled SaaS platforms, optimized cloud economics, and led multi-year product roadmaps that balance innovation with enterprise readiness. I’m also deeply engaged in the open source community as an active contributor to OpenTelemetry (OTel), where I champion initiatives that make adoption easier and more impactful for everyone.Beyond execution, I focus on shaping the future of developer productivity. From introducing AI champions programs and AI tool adoption to driving engineering efficiency, I’ve seen firsthand how the right culture and tools empower teams to deliver better software, faster.I share what I learn as the author of Mastering OpenTelemetry and Observability, and as a frequent speaker at KubeCon, Splunk Conf, and other global conferences. My passion lies in connecting the dots, between technology and people, between standards and outcomes, and between innovation and community.If you’re curious about observability, OpenTelemetry, or AI-driven engineering leadership, let’s connect!