Introducing @Amanda_Ruzza our MongoDB Creator of the Month! She currently works as a Solutions Architect at Datadog, where she helps companies transform observability into real business outcomes. Amanda is a passionate community advocate for MongoDB with expertise spanning Multi-Cloud Observability, APM, Logs, Security, and more. She has made MongoDB concepts accessible to developers through her content, like Pre-Cloud Development Chatbot with Streamlit, Langchain, OpenAI, and MongoDB Atlas Vector Search.
Inspired by her work, we asked Amanda some questions, and she was kind enough to share insights, tips, and recommendations. Her answers are very insightful, so keep reading to learn more about her👇
Why did you start creating and sharing technical content?
My journey started at re:Invent 2023 through the AWS “All Builders Welcome” grant. An AWS Staff Architect challenged my imposter syndrome — I didn’t have a CS degree and nearly failed 8th-grade math! I thought everything had already been written, but he disagreed. He encouraged me to share how I was solving real-world problems as a DevOps Engineer using limited budgets and tools. I realized that while theory is everywhere, my “technical creativity” had unique value. Now, even if only a few projects make it to a post, the reward of sharing the struggle of learning makes it all worth it!
Take us behind the scenes of your creative workflow.
It all starts with pen and paper. Before touching a keyboard, I use free writing to escape electronic distractions. I ask myself: “What am I actually trying to say, and why does it matter?” Once the core “why” is clear, I move into drawing diagrams, reverse engineering the solution, and writing my “to-dos.” Next, I jump into the “geek-out” phase—coding the solution and drafting the technical details. For me, getting organized on paper ensures the final post is intentional. Once I think my post is done, I wait a day or so, and re-read it with a fresh mind, do some edits, and repeat this until I feel that I’m being clear and meaningful enough.
What is your favorite content that you’ve created so far?
My favorite is my Chatbot for encrypted PDFs. Most tutorials use public documents, but real-world company documents or manufacturers’ manuals - like the ones for my music equipment - are often password-protected, making text extraction a nightmare. I spent three months researching ways to decrypt undecryptable things — even watching “shady” decryption videos! I ended up giving up on that idea and building Python logic using OCR to “take a picture” of the password protected encrypted PDF pages for recognition. Seeing those vectors finally “pop” in my MongoDB Atlas Vector Search was pure magic! Failing through different methodologies taught me more about building AI applications than any straightforward success ever could.
If you could share one piece of advice to someone who wanted to start creating technical content, what would that be?
Don’t let the lack of a CS degree or fancy title stop you; passion beats a traditional background! My advice to myself, and maybe everyone else…Stop trying to be “perfect.” Be your authentic self and focus on the “why”: “What problem are you solving and why does it matter?” Technology is an endless playground, and people aren’t just looking for dry documentation; they want your unique perspective. Sharing knowledge is a blessing — it means you’ve learned something awesome and can make someone else’s life a little easier! Just start and let your curiosity lead the way.
Where can developers connect with or learn more about you?
Want to catch Amanda at an upcoming event or connect with them? Reach her via LinkedIn, Blog, or GitHub.
Thank you very much, Amanda, for sharing your story with us today and for all the incredible content you’ve created about MongoDB. We can’t wait to see the next content you publish.