United States, Spain, Italy, + several others
I got interested in CS in 8th grade by pure chance when I learned one could make a website, and I taught myself from there. I had no idea what I was doing, I just knew that I was creating something from nothing, and I loved that. Coding opened up doors to opportunities and creativity that I had never expected before! Today I’m a senior software engineer at L4 Digital in Seattle. I've worked for Clarifai, Venmo, Intuit, Microsoft, and General Mills, and graduated with a computer science degree from Iowa State University in 2014. I've had the honor of working with various organizations, including Hacker Fund as their Director of Outreach.
As an avid public speaker and one of Glamour Magazine's 35 Women Under 35 Who Are Changing the Tech Industry, I've participated in meetups and events, including the Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing, the National Center for Women & IT Summit, TEDxDesMoines, the United Nations, and the U.S.A. Science and Engineering Festival. I want to inspire generations of STEM students to be the best they can be, and my favorite quote is from Helen Keller: "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.” I also like tacos and karaoke.
Not only is STEM super interesting, but the skills you learn and develop in a STEM career are beneficial in so many more aspects of your life... and, its a lot of fun!
