As an undergraduate at the University of Texas at Dallas studying Software Engineering, Saman Attar’s future took shape during a campus career fair. A conversation with a USAA recruiter introduced him to their 10-week Salesforce-adjacent internship. Having only previously worked with tools like Python and .NET, Saman was unfamiliar with Salesforce, but he decided to embrace the challenge. He applied for the internship, accepted an offer, and although initially skeptical, he was floored by how quickly the team was able to deliver value with Salesforce. This experience was all it took to solidify Saman’s path forward, knowing he wanted to align his career with Salesforce’s CRM.
After accepting a return offer for a full-time position at USAA, Saman was placed on a non-Salesforce team, but he was determined to get back to where he first started. His persistence paid off — during the following two years, Saman shifted his focus to building his knowledge and growing his resume, earning seven Salesforce certifications, including Application Architect and Platform Developer II. With his credentials and experience, Saman went on to lead a team of developers at USAA, building out essential solutions that have since shaped his career.
Today, Saman works at Okta, where he is a Senior Software Engineer and Delivery Lead responsible for leading the Salesforce Government Cloud practice. He manages a team of engineers and analysts who build solutions on Service Cloud and Experience Cloud for Okta’s government clients across federal, state, and local agencies. Prior to this, Saman helped refactor and deliver Sales Cloud capabilities, enabling Okta’s go-to-market teams to scale effectively. His passion lies in building solutions that help customers access and manage Salesforce effectively. But Saman’s professional journey has not just been one of technical growth, he’s also developed a passion for teaching and community-building.
In 2022, Saman launched Camp Apex, a free resource where learners can take bite-sized lessons and practice coding in real time. He drew inspiration from his experiences on Trailhead, but felt there was a gap for beginners with no knowledge of coding. For that reason, Saman built Camp Apex around hands-on practice for those who wanted to learn how to code, but had no prior exposure. It has quickly grown into a platform used by thousands of Trailblazers. Through it, Saman has hosted virtual and in-person coding competitions, collaborated with community groups like Women in Technology in Austin, and facilitated hands-on events for admin and developer groups. He’s now building out additional resources focused on flows, aiming to broaden Camp Apex’s offerings to include learning outside of coding.
The power of Salesforce and what it can do lies in its accessibility. Anyone can use it, regardless of having a technical background or not.
Saman AttarSenior Software Engineer & Delivery Lead, Okta
Saman’s creation of Camp Apex, and its partnerships with local Trailblazer Community Groups to host events, is his contribution to making the Salesforce ecosystem better. By showing people that there’s room for anyone at the table, regardless of their background or financial situation, Saman hopes that the skills they gain will allow them to pay it forward in the same way that others have helped him. In doing so, he is paving the way for future Trailblazers and building a legacy of mentorship and support.