Happy Ada Lovelace Day!
In keeping with the spirit of the day and to celebrate Ada’s List, I asked my lovely co-founders to answer 3 quick questions about women in tech. Here’s what they said (and I promised I’d answer those questions too, so I’m including my responses also):
1. Name a woman in tech, other than Ada Lovelace, who’s really inspired you.
Merici Vinton: ONE PERSON?! Impossible…where to begin. Elizabeth Warren – she’s not at all in technology, but she provided the leadership, complementary vision and support necessary to do my job at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. @katies for being awesome, giving some invaluable advice, and passing my resume along. Other community organizers – the Li.st founders @rachelsklar and @GlynnMacN AND Tech Ladymafia founders @aminatou and @erie. Fearless warriors who are working to make tech better and safer for women – @ashedryden and @shanley.
Nicki Sprinz: Iris Lapinski, CEO, Apps for Good. She’s at the forefront of changing education by inspiring kids to innovate with technology.
Rosa Birch: Iris Lapinski – CEO of Apps for Good. Iris has built an incredible organization in Apps for Good that inspires young people to think about the changes they can make in the world through technology as well as delivering key skills to help them in their future careers. Iris is totally passionate about technology and has so much impact.
Me: Genevieve Bell, anthropologist and user experience researcher at Intel because I think without understanding people you can’t really make technology work the way it should, and she’s great at that.
2. If there was one thing you helped bring about through Ada’s List, looking one year down the line, what would that be?
Merici: At least 20 people from Ada’s List will have hired other women from the list or found a job from the list. Lots of sass, fewer apologies (!!).
Nicki: If one woman finds a mentor, or another her dream job, or someone discovers their future co-founder, then for me Ada’s List will have been a success.
Rosa: Help raise the profile of the diversity of women in the tech world, particularly in London and to create a community of ladies in tech.
Me: Make women feel they are a valued part of a community that shares similar aspirations, hopes and dreams (you are not alone!), and help at least 10 women climb significantly higher in their careers through sharing information that they might not have got otherwise.
3. What’s your favourite website related to women in tech?
Merici: Twitter.
Nicki: It’s still very much in an embryonic state, but I’m very excited about the potential of Articulate, founded by the ladies at Caper.
Rosa: I really love the work that She ++ are doing in the US and would love to have something like that with European voices.
Me: Geekmom. There’s loads of inspiration there for everyone.
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Thanks, ladies. Here’s to Ada Lovelace and all the women in the world who hope to change the world through technology!
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