---
published: true
layout: post
title: >-
  API Evangelist Conversation with Lorna Mitchell, VP of Developer Experience at
  Redocly
tags:
  - Redocly CLI
  - Rules
  - OpenAPI
  - Governance
image: >-
  https://kinlane-productions2.s3.amazonaws.com/api-evangelist-conversations/api-evangelist-conversations.jpg
---
The opinionated and deeply knowledgeable driver of API specifications and VP of Developer Experience at Redocly, Lorna Mitchell came by to share some knowledge on Redocly CLI with me. I have made an executive decision to not have API service providers on my podcast, opting to speak with API producer and consumers, but Lorna transcends her role at Redocly. Lorna is part of the TSC for the OpenAPI Initiative (OAI), and has deep experience across the specs, but more specifically across approaches to lint these specs--this is the knowledge I am looking to tap into during our conversation.

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I definitely want to have Lorna back to go deeper down the Redocly CLI rabbit hole. The $ref thing I think is important, but the bundling and unbundling aspects of working with OpenAPI is something we more discussion around. I also want to learn from what Lorna has learned about governance--she has all the experience with Spectral I have, but goes well beyond me in thinking beyond Spectral, as well as governing multiple specs. Plus I have so much I want to drill into regarding API experience with Lorna, tapping into more of this well of knowledge I don't have--I will definitely have Lorna back repeatedly.

Now that I have my base strategies, policies, and rules scaffolding in place for my approach to API governance I really want to go down the API experience rabbit hole with someone as knowledgeable on the subject as Lorna is. Despite her role, I think Lorna is one of the few API experience practitioners out there that transcends any API services and tooling. First because of her experience in the industry, but also because of her views on specifications. In my opinion, there aren't many people out there who operate at this intersection, making Lorna someone I want to keep talking to at the intersection of API governance and experience.