- Department:
- UITS
- Campus:
- IU
What is your job position at IU? What was your path to getting to this position?
I am a Senior Application Administrator with UITS. After graduating from Purdue with a literature degree and no formal training in technology, I began working at IU in 2002. I quickly moved on to becoming an SQL/R developer, eventually a security coordinator, and then my current position at UITS. I did this mainly by developing a lot of skills on the job as needed, since I had no idea that tech would be my future career when I left college.
Do you think your gender has impacted your treatment or career advancement within the tech industry?
It’s hard to say if gender specifically has, but maybe some of my life circumstances related to being a woman have. I’m a single mom and so there have been times at IU where juggling professional responsibilities and motherhood responsibilities was an issue, and I was told that was an issue. When your employers are telling you that you can’t leave early to pick up your kid, it messes with your sense of loyalty for that group. But I haven’t encountered that problem since being employed through UITS. When you’re a part of an organization that supports a whole person, you have a lot of team players who support a whole organization.
What has been your favorite project or technology to work on?
Ten years ago I became a certified information systems auditor and I was part of a group that spearheaded regular auditing of user populations. I think there’s something psychologically soothing about taking data structures that are complicated and reducing them to their important parts, as a way to tame the chaos. It gives me a sense of control and organization.
If you could give your past self advice about your career, what would it be?
I would probably tell myself that work isn’t always about passion and trying to be an expert in the field, and that it’s okay to simply do a good job, take a paycheck, and raise a family. Forgive yourself for not wanting to be a super wealthy professional, and do what makes you secure and happy instead.
What are your interests outside of the workplace?
I enjoy oil painting and drawing, writing, huge communities of good friends, and dark beer.