Teachable Inclusion & Diversity

Describe your experience as a woman in engineering. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced, and how have you overcome them?

When you feel like you don’t belong, it can be hard to show up. There’s you, and then there’s the version of you in response: a little less sure, a bit more on guard. I’ve had my moments in tech. But the hardest part isn't being ignored or spoken down to. It isn’t the microaggressions or even the internalized competition between women. The hardest part is in the moments before and after: the heavy pause after an exchange, the hesitation before the next: a little less sure, a bit more on guard. It’s the questioning and doubting, and disappearing into that version of myself. It can happen in meetings, ending sentences with question marks or in code reviews, overthinking language and tone. The challenge is remembering who I am and showing up as that person, even when it feels like she doesn’t belong — because she does. 

I’m grateful I work with such a delightful team that at some point I stopped feeling like a woman in tech and more simply that I’m a woman and am in tech. But growth, of course, is rarely linear, and a safe space now isn’t a promise of a safe future. So I’ve learned over time to do what’s in my control: Build my confidence from within, and become that safe space for others.

What are your professional goals, and how has Teachable enabled you to pursue them? What career growth resources/opportunities are available?

Management, definitely. I love seeing people win, and I love helping them get there — as a cheerleader, an extra pair of hands (or eyes), a champion or an accountability partner. But there’s more to management than this. So, with the help of my own manager, I’ve taken more ownership over projects involving decision-making at a larger scale, developing skills across the stack in areas like technical direction, cross-functional collaboration, project management and delivery. In other spaces as an ERG lead, I’ve spent the last two years cultivating a safe community for my colleagues, where honest conversations are held and respected.

What advice do you have for women in engineering or other technical roles regarding how to identify a company and team that will support their growth and development?

One engineering manager at Teachable saw an opportunity for this, so she created a weekly meeting where we drop in and do anything, from sharing our latest work, to mob programming, to sometimes just chatting. We also get paired up with a new colleague every two weeks for coffee chats. I’ve come to appreciate this space because of the relationships I’ve formed through it. It’s a space for women to be seen and heard.

Ask your interviewers about their own experiences. How comfortable are they showing up? How often are they in a room with other women? What is that like, and could they do the same for you?