At Northshore, innovation starts with people, those who see challenges as opportunities and bring bold ideas to life. One of those people is Natalia Colomé, a software engineer whose work has been instrumental in developing Seastack, Northshore’s powerful new platform designed to help data centers operate more efficiently and sustainably.
In this spotlight, Natalia shares her journey from El Salvador to Denver, her career shift into software engineering, and how her work on Seastack embodies her passion for meaningful, scalable technology.
Q: What first drew you to this industry? How did your journey begin?
“I think what drew me in at first was learning about data centers. Most people, myself included, don’t really think about them, yet they’re the invisible backbone of almost everything we do digitally. The more I learned about them, the more fascinated I became with the scale and complexity of their systems. These are the unseen engines powering our modern lives, from streaming and storage to AI and cloud computing.
That initial curiosity quickly turned into a passion for improving efficiency and sustainability. Data centers consume massive amounts of energy and resources, and I wanted to be part of a team finding smarter ways to reduce that impact. At Northshore, that’s exactly what we do: we build tools that make data systems not just faster, but greener and more responsible. It’s incredibly rewarding to know our work directly contributes to a more sustainable digital world.”
Q: What’s unique about your role at Northshore?
“My role sits at the intersection of engineering and problem-solving. I like to think of it as translating complex technical efforts into digital solutions that scale. Essentially, I help bridge the work our engineers are doing into software that’s intuitive, reusable, and impactful for our clients.
What makes it unique is the constant balance between creativity and structure. On one hand, you’re deep in code, systems, and models, but on the other, you’re designing something human-centered that needs to feel effortless for the user. It’s a challenge I love.
At Northshore, collaboration is key. Every project is a collective effort where we bounce ideas off one another, refine solutions, and make sure the final product truly solves a problem. That spirit of teamwork, paired with the freedom to experiment and innovate, makes my role feel dynamic and deeply fulfilling.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about working at Northshore?
“Without question, it’s the autonomy and trust the company gives us. From day one, I’ve felt empowered to take ownership of my projects, to explore new approaches, make design decisions, and find the best solutions without unnecessary micromanagement. That level of trust builds confidence and creativity.
It’s rare to find a company that believes in giving its engineers that kind of space. Here, it’s understood that people do their best work when they’re trusted to take initiative. As long as you’re delivering and collaborating, you’re supported. It makes me feel valued not just as an employee, but as a contributor to something bigger.
That flexibility also extends to how we work day to day. Whether I’m diving deep into code or brainstorming ideas with the team, I can structure my time in ways that let me do my best work and that’s something I really appreciate.”
Q: You’re based in Denver. What do you love most about living there, and how have you seen the city embrace sustainability?
“One of my favorite things about living in Denver is the balance between urban energy and natural beauty. You can finish a day of work and be on a hiking trail or in the mountains within an hour. There’s a constant connection to nature that makes life here feel refreshing. Whether it’s skiing in the winter, hiking in the summer, or simply enjoying the mountain views, Denver offers a rhythm that helps keep me grounded.
When it comes to sustainability, I’ve noticed a lot of positive progress. The city has taken real steps toward greener living, expanding bike lanes, making composting part of the waste system, and encouraging water conservation. Even small things, like community programs and awareness campaigns, show that there’s a collective mindset toward protecting our environment.
It’s motivating to live in a place that aligns with my own values of sustainability, especially since that’s also a big part of what we focus on at Northshore.”
Q: Where are you from? What inspired your career in software engineering?
“I was born and raised in El Salvador, where I graduated as an industrial engineer. For several years, I worked in different industries, including finance and supply chain. It was a valuable experience. I learned how systems work, how to manage efficiency, and how to think critically about operations. But after a while, I realized I wanted something more dynamic and creative, something where I could build and see tangible results from my work.
In 2016, my husband and I decided to take a leap. We moved to Denver so I could study software engineering at Turing School, which completely changed my path. From the first day, I fell in love with programming. There’s something deeply satisfying about solving complex problems with logic and creativity, and the constant learning keeps it exciting; no two days are ever the same.
After completing my studies and navigating the green card process, I joined Northshore in 2020. It’s been such a rewarding experience to see how everything, my engineering background, my love of problem-solving, and my drive for impact, came together in this role.”
Q: What was it like working on the Seastack project?
“Working on Seastack has been one of the most exciting and challenging experiences of my career. From the beginning, it was a completely new venture; we were building something from scratch, developing new tools, processes, and models all at once. There was this incredible sense of purpose and anticipation because we knew it would eventually go out to clients and become part of their daily operations.
There were definitely moments that tested us. We had to make big decisions early on about architecture, scalability, and user experience. Every line of code mattered because we wanted it to be not just functional, but robust and future-ready. When Seastack finally launched, it was emotional. I remember seeing a video of the launch banner and nearly crying; it felt surreal to see something we’d spent months refining finally come to life in the real world.
Now that it’s out there and being used by real clients, it’s both rewarding and humbling. There’s pride in seeing the impact of our work, but also a renewed sense of responsibility to keep improving. We’re already thinking about what’s next, how to make it even more powerful, more seamless, and more valuable for our users.”
Q: Why do you think Seastack is so important for the industry?
“Our clients don’t struggle with a lack of data; they struggle with too much of it. Many of them have data spread across different tools, systems, and formats, which makes it incredibly hard to get a clear picture or make fast, informed decisions. That’s the challenge Seastack was designed to solve.
By bringing everything together in a single, unified system, Seastack simplifies complexity. It turns data chaos into clarity, giving users one place to find answers, track performance, and understand trends without jumping between platforms. That saves time, reduces frustration, and empowers teams to act faster and smarter.
It’s also a step toward greater sustainability and efficiency. When decisions are made with better data, resources are used more wisely. For me, that’s the most exciting part, Seastack isn’t just a tool, it’s a catalyst for smarter operations across the entire industry.”
Natalia’s story is one of transformation, from a curious engineer in El Salvador to a key contributor helping Northshore shape the future of sustainable data solutions. Her journey shows that innovation happens when curiosity meets courage, and when people are given the trust and autonomy to build something extraordinary.
Through projects like Seastack, Natalia and the Northshore team are proving that technology can be both powerful and purposeful, improving performance while making the digital world a little more sustainable for everyone.