Top 20 Influential Software Testing Experts

Posted On: 8 September 2023

In the dynamic world of technology, marked by innovations such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, our purchasing choices are frequently steered by word of mouth and online reviews. While these experts haven't established specific standards for testing methodologies, their invaluable contributions to the testing domain and the broader testing community cannot be understated.

So, let's delve into the embarking accomplishments of the most popular 20 influential testing experts in the software testing space.

Software Testing Experts

Ash Coleman

Ash, with deep introspection, became a skilled test engineer and a board member at the Pacific Center.
Further, she contributed as a Consultant in QualityInclusive and now serves as Senior Director in Brex.
Ash aims to mentor women and marginalized groups towards organizational change. So, connect with her on LinkedIn.

Alan Page

Alan earned degrees in Music Composition. During his master’s, he developed a passion for PCs and began exploring them in 1993.
Subsequently, Alan joined Midisoft as technical support. Over time, he transitioned to network administrator and software tester.
After 22 years as Microsoft’s Director of Test Excellence, Alan now serves as Senior Engineering Director at Unity Technologies and NBCU. You can find him on Twitter.

Anne-Marie Charrett

Beginning her career as a project manager, Anne transitioned to a consultant in 2005. However, she found the programming field to be isolating. So, she switched to system operations. Currently, Anne serves as the CEO of Testing Times and the Engineering Director at Culture Amp.
Anne coaches on career development and quality engineering and co-hosts the Quality Coach Roadshow. Stay updated by following her on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Alan Richardson

From his college days, Alan was eager to tackle software development challenges. He began his career as a programmer. Yet, he quickly recognized the importance of addressing flaws in software development. So, it has been an ever-evolving career path for him.
His blog, “Evil Tester,” was inspired by a cartoon character. However, the primary motivation sparked while working on projects. Over time, he decided to invest in the domain.
Additionally, Alan authored two books: “Java for Testers” and “Selenium Simplified.” He was also honored with the Best Tutorial award at the 2012 Eurostar.

Cem Kaner

Cem has many hats in his professional space. In other words, he is a professor, tester, UI designer, tech writer, and independent consultant.
From 2004, Cem was a Florida Institute of Technology professor. In the same year, he founded a non-profit venture for testing software.
“Testing Computer Software” is one of his best-selling books. Hence, he is known as an advocate of software usability and testing.

Dorothy Graham

Dorothy started as a programmer before progressing into test automation. As she transitioned into an independent consultant, she began mentoring professionals and spoke at industry conferences.
In addition, Dorothy dedicated nearly two decades as a senior partner at Grove Consultants, assisting community members. She held the position of Eurostar program chair for 18 months. In recognition of her contributions, she was honored with the Excellence Award in Software Testing in 1999.
With 50 years of experience, Dorothy believes that the future of testing will pose challenges due to evolving tools. Yet, they can never replace human instincts.

Elisabeth Hendrickson

Elisabeth began her professional journey in the mid-80s as a technical writer. Till 2000, she served as a Director for a ceased firm.
Subsequently, Elisabeth became an occasional contributor at Pivotal Labs, guiding R&D teams in adopting an agile approach. Before leaving, she held the position of Engineering Director.
Elisabeth is an advisor to 33 teams and is the founder of Curious Duck Digital Laboratory. She also published the book “Explore It!” You can follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn for insights and updates.

Fiona Charles

Fiona initiated her professional journey as a Quality Assurance acceptor with PROMIS Systems Corp’s R&D department.
Before restarting her career as a consultant, Fiona was a writer for nearly three years. She then re-emerged as a test manager and consultant by collaborating with diverse clients. You can read her insights on LinkedIn and Twitter, besides facilitating workshops.

Isabel Evans

Isabel’s work style is by the visual presentation of stories. With over 30 years of industry expertise, she has catered to software, financial, and communication clients.
She had volunteered as a program secretary at BCS SIGiST. Isabel was honored as Programme Chair at the 2019 EuroSTAR Conference. She is now pursuing a postgraduate at the University of Malta.

Jonathan Lipps

Following his postgraduate in Philosophy, Jonathan embarked on his career as a freelance software developer for startups. He took a sabbatical and pursued a “General Linguistics and Comparative Philology” degree from Oxford University.
In 2011, Jonathan considered pursuing a PhD in Linguistics. However, the universe had a different path in store for him.
During that time, he progressed into launching startups. Subsequently, Jonathan spent nearly five years at Sauce Labs. Then, in 2018, he embarked on a new journey by establishing HeadSpin. Currently, he holds the position of Senior Director, coordinating automation technologies.

Janet Gregory

Janet has dedicated fourteen years to assisting businesses and testers. Currently, she functions as an agile testing and process consultant. Alongside Lisa Crispin, Janet has passionately worked to foster a community of practitioners.
Janet wrote four articles earlier because she loves to share her experiences with her peers and audiences. You can find her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Joe Colantonio

Joe embarked on his professional path in 1996 as a Visual Basic Developer Support Engineer. In his mid-20s, he served as a QA engineer. Over the next 25 years, Joe honed his expertise in test automation.
He established Test Guild, an independent consultancy that offers actionable and real-world technical guidance from industry leaders. In addition, Joe pioneered Automation Guild, a premier online event explicitly catered to test automation engineers.
Joe recently released the book “Automation Awesomeness!” which covers 260 actionable affirmations gathered from industry experts. You can connect on his social platforms or tune in to his Test Talks Podcasts.

James Bach

James began his professional journey as a programmer. As he was climbing up in his career, a persistent question occupied his mind: Why didn’t complex systems function as intended?
In his quest for clarity, James found a guiding light in Gerald M. Weinberg. Inspired by his insights, James pivoted his career focus towards coaching.
Years later, James co-founded the Context-Driven School of Software Testing Thought. He also created the first-ever class in Exploratory and Rapid Software Testing methodology.
James’ influence extends beyond education and community-building. He is also an esteemed member of the Software Testing International Society. Those seeking to interact with him can connect on LinkedIn.

Jason Arbon

Jason is a dynamic tech figure passionate about testing, AI, and automation. In the early stages of his career, he had the privilege of working with Microsoft and Google.
He later became Director at Applause.com by managing 100,000 testers across four continents.
As the CEO of TestersAI, Jason is at the forefront of integrating AI with testing methodologies.
In addition to his professional achievements, Jason co-authored “How Google Tests Software.” You can mostly find his insights on LinkedIn.

Katrina Clokie

Katrina began her career as a software developer. She later stepped into leadership roles as an Engineering Manager at the Bank of New Zealand.
At Xero, she undertook the role of GM Engineer and was responsible for the delivery management of the Subscription and Billing domain.
Katrina has written four publications, one notable being “Women In STEM.” Her passion for community engagement is evident by being an organizer for We Test.
Recognizing her exemplary contributions, she was honored as ‘An Inspiring Individual’ in 2018. Now, Katrina is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Fergus.

Lisa Crispin

Lisa initiated her professional journey as a tester within an agile framework. Later, she shifted to scrum. Between 2018 and 2020, she was a testing advocate at Mabl. Lisa is the co-founder of the Agile Testing Fellow and Trainer at LLC.
She is driven by a mission to empower testers. To share her knowledge, Lisa regularly hosts workshops at conferences. Her expertise lies in holistic testing, focusing on adding value and providing strategic guidance to businesses.

Michael Bolton

Michael’s professional journey began as a programmer, soon transitioning into testing. In the 1990s, he became project manager at Quarterdeck, entrusted with orchestrating their various projects. However, he felt it was a routine job.
As a result, he permanently switched to an independent consultant. Later, James Bach approached him for a collaboration. So, Michael introduced various teachings with dedication.
In 2006, James made him a partner of Rapid Software Testing. Michael is now the Principal at DevelopSense. You can find him primarily on LinkedIn.

Maaret Pyhäjärvi

Maaret has 25 years of experience in the software testing domain. Her day job is to contribute as a testing specialist. As a coach, she shares relevant feedback for heavy projects through exceptional exploratory testing.
She also participates in different non-profit organizations. Maaret was honored with Most Influential Agile Testing Professional Person (MIATPP) in 2016 and Tester Worth Appreciating in 2022.
Presently, Maaret is a development manager at Vaisala, handling operational leadership. Thus, you can follow her on LinkedIn.

Paul Gerrard

Here comes the last testing expert in our list, Paul’s career span. He is a software engineering consultant, author, and coach. His specialties are test strategy and assurance.
Paul hosts The Technology Leadership Forum, an Editor-in-Chief at Technology Knowledge Base, and has contributed to various causes.
He has a decade of expertise from analyst to Principal at Gerrard Consulting. Hence, you can follow Paul on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Pradeep Soundararajan

Pradeep began his career as a software QA engineer at McAfee and in various corporate roles. In his mid-20s, he fully fledged to be an independent test consultant.
His Tester Tested blog is a favorite for many testers. Moreover, you can find his contributions on his company page and social media.
Pradeep was honored with the Thought Leadership Award and Software Testing Luminary 2016. He is now the CEO of Moolya to help testers and users for efficient testing services.

Conclusion

I hope you liked the above testing expert lists. As the tech industry changes frequently, staying up to date in the automation-driven world is beneficial to enhance your skills or apply your learnings by connecting with industry experts.

Thus, we encourage you to read about these software testing influencers. Please stay connected with us for more AI-powered automation testing updates.

Chaithanya M N

Content Writer

A curious individual who is eager to learn and loves to share her knowledge using simple conversational writing skills. While her calling is technology and reading up on marketing updates, she also finds time to pursue her interests in philosophy, dance and music.