Session: Confessions Of An African-American Female Software Developer
The technology industry is a constantly evolving and growing industry filled with vast opportunities. However, gender diversity continues to be an issue in certain technology areas. In 2019, women made up only 27% of STEM careers. What is it like to be female in a software development position mostly held by men? What about being African-American? What challenges are encountered when trying to break the glass ceiling? How do you overcome them? Join Lisa Sims as she shares her confessions of being an African-American software developer with twenty-five years of experience in Corporate America and how she learned to play the game to not only survive but thrive in her career.
Bio
Lisa Sims is the Lead Faculty of the Web & Mobile App Emphasis at the Forbes School of Business & Technology for The University of Arizona Global Campus. She is also the Lead Faculty Advisor for the University of Arizona Global Campus Women in STEM Club whose mission is to provide a pathway to educate, engage, and encourage equality and inclusion of women globally in STEM careers while partnering with industry leaders and community for the advancement of women and recognition of their contributions in STEM fields. Lisa has been teaching web programming and software development courses for various online universities for over fifteen years.
In addition to her academic work, she worked for various corporations in roles such as Programmer/Analyst, Web/Database Developer, and Consultant. Furthermore, she is a self-published author of six books and a published Apress Media author of two books with her latest title, Effective Digital Learning: Transforming Traditional Learning Models to a Virtual World, released in March 2021. Lisa founded and served as the Founder and Chief Technology Consultant for her company, The IT Mechanic, for fifteen years, which focused on providing website and database design services for small and medium-sized businesses.
When not teaching and writing, Lisa is the creator and host of the Stretching A Dollar For Entrepreneurs Podcast where she provides money-saving advice to entrepreneurs to grow and promote their businesses. She is also a wife and mother of two sons, Timothy Jr. and William who enjoy baseball and backyard science adventures.