Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
Rebecca Garcia (@geekgirlweb) loves earl grey tea, yoga, playing Dominion and League of Legends, wearing high heels, and on occasion, salsa dancing. Oh, and she’s also the youngest person to be named a U.S. White House Champion of Change for ‘Tech Inclusion’. Yeah, we buried the lead.
Our Lady Geek of the Week is a tech powerhouse with titles like CTO, developer, and tech ambassador already under her belt. Currently, she’s a Developer Evangelist at Squarespace (where she’s kicking butt), and the co-founder of CoderDojo NYC.
Under the global movement CoderDojo, Garcia runs a truly awesome organization in NYC that holds (free!) monthly workshops for web, game, and app development for kids ages 7 to 17. Along with a team of roughly a dozen, Garcia’s fostering excitement and awareness for S.T.E.M. for over 1,200 kids. Her favorites? The girls, of course.
With her resume, awards, and experiences, we couldn’t help but ask Garcia about her proudest accomplishments and most rewarding experiences. Read on!
Q: How did you discover your passion for working in tech?
A: I knew that I enjoyed creating things–when I was little I thought I wanted to make video games for a living. I changed my mind later on when I realized I enjoyed coding.
Technology allowed me to combine my passion for empowering others, while dreaming up things to build.
Q: What’s been your most rewarding CoderDojo NYC experience so far?
A: Hearing why kids come to CoderDojo NYC. A mother told us that her middle school age daughter had the choice between hanging out with one of her friends or coming to CoderDojo and she enthusiastically wanted to come code on a Saturday!
Q: Proudest accomplishment?
A: Being the youngest (at 22) to receive the Champion of Change for Tech Inclusion award at the U.S. White House in 2013!
Q: If you could take any fictional character out for a drink, whom would you choose and what would you drink?
A: Xena: Warrior Princess hands down. She’s so badass, and was my childhood idol. I’d love to share some sangria with her!
Q: What would you tell your 13-year-old self?
A: Being different is ok, follow your passion and don’t let anyone else define 'success’ for you.
Emma Bauer is a Being Geek Chic Contributor. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, dog lover, tea drinker, art appreciator, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic. Follow her on Twitter: @emmalynnbauer
Meet Andrea McNett (@andreamcnett). She’s a spunky coder, designer, and developer (designeloper) living in Minneapolis, MN. She spends her working days as an Associate Designer at Pixel Farm, a full-service creative agency making brands like Target, General Mills, and the NHL glow. Check out some of the company’s latest work here.
Off the clock, you’ll find McNett nibbling on some dark chocolate, day-dreaming about her semester abroad in Scotland, and snuggling up with a cat or two.
With both her right and left brain firing on all cylinders, McNett bubbles with creativity and passion for her work, which blends math, design, psychology, and art. But we’ll let her tell you more…
Q: How did you discover your passion for digital design?
A: Growing up, I loved art and math equally. In high school, I joined the school newspaper. As nerdy as it sounds, page layout was a lot of fun for me, so I researched graphic design as a career option and ultimately ended up going to college for it. In college, I had trouble completely letting go of my left-brain skills, so I ended up learning how to code. Being a designer/developer at Pixel Farm (or designeloper as my creative director calls me) strikes the perfect balance between technical know-how and creativity. I love coming up with ideas as much as I love making them.
Q: Where do you find your inspiration when working?
A: It’s cliché, but I find music inspirational, particularly when coding. The right music helps me work through a problem and makes me more productive. Professionally, I think the best inspiration can be found browsing the Internet and soaking it all in. Everyone at Pixel Farm is really good at this so we’re always sending links to each other. I’m forever amazed by how the Internet can bring people together–it’s an honor to be able to wake up each day and help make that happen.
Q: If you could have any superhero power, what would it be?
A: Is there a superhero that never needs to sleep? That would be awesome.
Q: If you could take any fictional character out for a drink, whom would you choose and what would you drink?
A: This is the hardest question yet! Renée in the Elegance of the Hedgehog (it’s okay–nobody has read this book) is one of my all-time favorite characters. She’s French, I suppose we’d drink wine.
Q: What would you tell your 13 year old self?
A: At some point, you’ll figure out that you don’t have to know everything. The sooner you get there, the better.
Emma Bauer is a Being Geek Chic Contributor. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, dog lover, tea drinker, art appreciator, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic. Follow her on Twitter: @emmalynnbauer
