Men may still outnumber women in the tech field, but that’s something the amazing women profiled below are changing. In their own words, read stories from women on the front-line of coding in Colorado. Learn how they are forging their way, making great products, impacting the lives of those around them and get their take on entering the field.
Joanne Cheng, thoughtbot
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How did you get interested in technology?
When I was in middle school, I learned HTML/CSS to make websites for myself. Eventually I took a few programming classes in high school and thought they were fun, but I couldn't imagine myself working as a programmer for the rest of my life. I kept programming a little on the side and taking classes here and there in college, until one day I sort of fell in love with it.
What do you find challenging/exciting about your job?
I love that I get to build ideas. As a consultant, I get to solve different types of problems every day and learn how to turn people's ideas and dreams into reality. When I was working on a product at my last job, I felt ownership over the product I was building and was able to turn my ideas into future of a product. Sometimes, I have no idea how to solve a problem until I write some throwaway code or bang my head for a few days with a pencil and some paper - those problems are the most exciting.
What is one unique thing you bring to the table as a developer?
I'm fascinated with data visualization and analysis with programming. I love the idea of translating numbers into something readable for humans.
What is the atmosphere like for women developers in Colorado?
There has been a recent push to have more women-centric tech meetups in CO, such as Women Who Code Boulder/Denver, which has many other women developers of all different skill levels to be more active in the local community. Often times I still get confused for a sales person, manager, recruiter, designer, or an absolute beginner. When I correct people and tell them where I work and how long I've been programming, occasionally I get a response that questions the truth in that. But for the most part, it's positive and supportive. The atmosphere is a lot better now thanks to these groups, although it's still far from ideal.
Who or what groups do you admire in the Colorado tech community?
I really admire the current Colorado Code for Communities group who are now meeting in Denver and Boulder. Both the organizers are doing great things with the organization by organizing friendly, open hack nights, drink ups, and open forums for people to participate and give ideas. They're working very hard to improve engagement with tech professionals in the Colorado government. I also admire Women who Code - they organize several study groups to help other female developers learn new languages. I've met several other women developers of all ages and skill levels at Women Who Code, and it's nice to know that I'm not alone in this local community.
Do you have any advice for women just starting out in the tech world?
Don't try to enter the tech world alone: you need a network of professional friends and contacts to help you deal with the challenges of being in this industry - both technical and social. And try to meet people from all different backgrounds and places as well - their view on tech may be different from yours, but it will change how to approach problems for the better.
