--- title: "App Maker: Sabrina Papes, Director of QA | ArcTouch" description: "Meet ArcTouch Director of QA Sabrina Papes. Learn how her father's legacy, autism diagnosis, and martial arts background shape her empathetic leadership." url: "https://arctouch.com/blog/app-maker-sabrina-papes" date_modified: "2026-09-29T18:43:09.717Z" --- # App maker spotlight: Sabrina Papes, Director of QA She’s built a career on empathy, carried her father’s legacy into leadership, and proved that quality is about caring for people first 7 min. read - September 29, 2026 By Troy Petersen [](mailto:?subject=Interesting%20blog%20post&body=I%20thought%20you%20might%20like%20this%20blog%20post%20from%20ArcTouch%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Farctouch.com%2Fblog%2Fapp-maker-sabrina-papes) ![Sabrina speaking at a tech conference, wearing an ArcTouch shirt](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fefnbmai9c55m%2F1DvCLVnWhQvNzmC9oZrWs5%2Fe8a16aa386ec04df4634f26e3fa52d8d%2Fsabrina-app-maker.webp&w=3840&q=75) _\[_ **_Editor’s note_**_: This is part of a series of articles about_ [_app makers_](/tag/app-maker)_, highlighting talented team members who embody the builder mindset at ArcTouch, and how they find creative new ways to apply the latest technology to our projects.\]_ When Sabrina Papes was growing up, she had a front-row seat to what true leadership looks like. Her father went from living on the streets as a young boy to funding her education by working five jobs at once. Then, at age 60, he passed the bar exam to become a lawyer. He led every phase of his life with fierce determination, deep respect, and empathy for others — qualities that stayed with Sabrina even after he passed away from cancer shortly before she joined ArcTouch. That legacy defined Sabrina’s own path. Starting her career 18 years ago as a computer engineer and developer, she knew early on that her ultimate ambition was to lead people. To become the kind of manager who makes sound, empathetic decisions, she deliberately pivoted from development into Quality Assurance (QA) to master the full end-to-end product lifecycle. Today, as Director of QA at ArcTouch, Sabrina leads a 25-person team known across the agency for technical excellence, empathy, and AI maturity. Off the clock, she is a competitive Taekwondo champion and a passionate advocate for neurodiversity — a journey sparked when her own autism diagnosis followed those of her two children. We sat down with Sabrina to talk about her career arc, carrying her father’s name into her work, and how neurodiversity and martial arts shape her leadership. ## How do you describe what you do to someone outside of tech? I make sure that everything we build at ArcTouch delivers the best possible experience for the user — whether that's an app, a website, or a game. That means focusing heavily on usability, accessibility, and inclusion so that every product works seamlessly for everyone. ## You started your career as a developer. Why was becoming a people manager so important to you from day one? It goes back to my father. He was an amazing leader who guided people with immense respect and treated everyone like family. Growing up, I naturally took on responsibility. Even in college, I was very involved in student government. And early in my career, I realized that while I could write code or find bugs, my greatest value was helping people grow, supporting teams, and giving them the confidence to succeed. ## What made you decide to transition from development into QA? I realized that to be a leader who makes confident decisions, you have to understand the whole process. I had seen leaders make choices that frustrated technical teams because they lacked a grounding in how software is tested and delivered. Moving into QA gave me that broad, end-to-end perspective, which gave me immense confidence in my choices as a manager. ## You’ve said quality isn’t just about finding bugs. How does that philosophy shape how you lead? QA is about caring for the entire product — and leadership is about caring for the whole person. Behind every project, there are people with personal lives, histories, and families. When you treat people as individuals rather than "resources" and give them a safe environment where they feel heard, they become deeply engaged and independent. ## Your father had a huge impact on your life. Can you share a bit about his story and legacy? My father was my biggest supporter. He went from living on the streets as a boy to building a career through pure grit and education. At one point, he worked five jobs just to pay for my English classes because he believed learning a second language would open doors for me. Later in life, at age 60, he passed the bar exam and became a lawyer to give legal support to people in need. When he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, I legally changed my last name to his — Papes. ArcTouch was the first workplace where I used that name. Every time someone calls me "Papes," it feels like a tribute to him and his hard work living on through me. ![Sabrina and her father](https://images.ctfassets.net/efnbmai9c55m/clO1o5lXtQukc8vfgFybo/e21ddb1bfebfe67927f0517a555176e9/sabrina-father.jpg) ## The pandemic delayed your initial start at ArcTouch, which gave you time with him before he passed. How do you look back on that time? I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. When my original contract had to be paused during the pandemic, I felt no despair. Shortly after, my father received his diagnosis, and I realized that gap was a gift. It allowed me to be fully present with him during his final months. When I reconnected with ArcTouch later, the company showed so much kindness and empathy toward what I had been through. I knew then that this was where I was meant to be. ## You were diagnosed with autism three years ago after both of your children were diagnosed. What was that process like? Receiving the diagnosis wasn't a shock — it was a confirmation. As a child, I always felt different. It was hard for me to make friends, understand jokes, or handle sudden routine changes. When my son was diagnosed ten years ago, I researched everything to give him the best life possible, and I started recognizing those same traits in myself. At work, being neurodivergent is actually an asset. It allows me to separate emotional noise from rational decision-making, which makes handling complex challenges much cleaner. ![Sabrina and her children](https://images.ctfassets.net/efnbmai9c55m/HQtWTRTB9LuzA8BUo9thv/4eb638e55c77752a663b610ad533776d/sabrina-children.jpeg) ## You are also a Pan American Taekwondo champion. Does martial arts influence how you approach your job? Absolutely. Martial arts teach core values — discipline, focus, mental toughness, and self-confidence. Facing high-pressure situations on the mat directly prepares me to handle challenges, adapt quickly, and stay calm under pressure in my professional life. ## Your team is known for being ahead of the curve in AI. How do you balance automated tools with the human element? AI is a powerful supportive tool, but it is not a source of truth. It changes _how_ we work, but the final judgment always rests with us. I encourage my team to embrace AI while continuing to sharpen their own technical expertise and critical thinking. You still need human domain knowledge to ensure AI is moving in the right direction. ## How do you measure your own success as a leader? My success is the success of the people on my team. Every time someone calls me to say a QA analyst did an incredible job, or when our team is recognized for being ahead of the curve, that's my success. It tells me the team is mature, independent, and thriving. ## What does a "lovable" workplace culture mean to you? A lovable workplace is one where you can genuinely be yourself, perform with confidence, and work alongside people you admire. It's a place where everyone is heard and respected, regardless of their title, age, or tenure. Our lovable ArcTouch environment is what motivates me to deliver my best every day. ## Thank you for your time, Sabrina! ## Article Author: [TP | Troy Petersen | Editorial Director](/blog/author/troy-petersen) ## Tags: [App Maker](/tag/app-maker) [QA](/tag/qa) ## Subscribe for more insights Get our newsletter in your inbox. ## Related posts [App makers spotlight: Bruna Lavelli & Mateus Baumart, quality assurance & IT support | A company starter program brought them together. A few years later, they’re married, bought a house, and welcomed the very first ‘ArcTouch Baby’ | 5 min. read - September 8, 2026](/blog/app-maker-bruna-lavelli-mateus-baumart) [App maker spotlight: Alice Pieri, QA analyst & accessibility champion | She traded construction sites for code reviews — and now helps make apps accessible for everyone | 7 min. read - May 21, 2026](/blog/app-maker-alice-pieri) ## Contact us. ### Let's build something lovable. Together. We help companies of all sizes build lovable apps, websites, and connected experiences.