I began/continue to code because...

I wanted to make things! I started by playing the simple programs my dad would write on our first home computer, drawing circles and producing different tones when different keys were pressed. As I got older, I got into computer games and started learning how to create my own levels and graphics - of course, then I needed a website to display my artwork 😁

After going to art school, doing graphic design, teaching abroad, and doing community relations, I took a web development bootcamp, fell in love, and haven't looked back since.

My dad, a lifelong hardware and software engineer, supported me when I chose art school for college. Now that I've joined him in nerd-dom, I look back and it seems almost inevitable that I'd end up working with computers somehow.

I recently overcame...

Another stage of impostor syndrome 😅 I've grown reasonably confident about my technical skills, but during a review with my manager recently, he pointed out that my struggle to acknowledge my performance as anything but "meets expectations" was a problem as well. I work hard, and I work well with others - I should be proud of the relationships I've built and maintained as well as my technical progress.

I want to brag about...

See above 😁

My advice for allies to support women who code is....

Please don't be afraid to stand up for your peers! A lot of times, as the only woman in the room, you're expected to be the one who speaks up when someone says something "suspect" about gender, or when someone asks about the value of diversity at work. By being brave and speaking up in support of women and people of color (and anyone underrepresented in tech for that matter), you're helping alleviate that extra pressure on those who already feel like outsiders.