2019 Spotlight: Women in Tech
At ivision, we’re passionate about helping future generations of engineers find their passion. One of the cornerstones of our hiring practices is to find the right person, with the experience, passion, and drive, for each position. Over the years, we’ve seen huge growth in the number of women entering technical professions. This March, to celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re going to highlight some of the amazing women in tech that make ivision a great place to work and a great partner to work with.
Women in Tech: Tracy Barahona
Career at ivision
Tracy is an account executive on ivision’s Outside Sales team and has been in the tech industry for just over 5 years. She partners with our clients to provide outstanding service and solutions to their IT needs. She obtained her Master of the Arts in Integrated Global Communication from Kennesaw State University.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I wanted the chance to be in a cutting-edge industry which involves the constant need to learn. Gaining technical knowledge is highly impactful since there is now a high value on professionals who can interact with, understand, and translate technical work. There are never-ending job opportunities in Information Technology.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Don’t be intimidated by this male-dominated industry. You’re now finding more and more women in leadership positions, like the female CEOs of IBM, Hewlett-Packard, and Yahoo. Also, if you’re a creature of change and adaptability, this is the industry for you. There’s always so much to learn and no shortage of opportunities.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
One of my best friends and now a bridesmaid in my wedding, Cassi, has been a longstanding female figure to me in IT. She and I worked together at a Payroll company back in 2007 before she was accepted into the Cisco Sales Academy training program. From day one, she kept telling me to come do the same, but I didn’t think it was for me. I got my degree, went to work for an Auto Auction as a Customer Support Coordinator and the company shut down three years later. This led me back to school to get my master’s and all along the way she still kept bringing it up, saying Cisco, and technology in general was an amazing field to be in. I finally applied in 2013 at Cisco, made it all the way to the final interviewing round and didn’t make the cut. A year later, she pushed me again, saying this time it was to train at Cisco and work for a partner. This time, I went for it and made it, receiving the opportunity to train at Cisco in Raleigh for three months before starting my career in Sales at ivision. I accredit my success to my friend Cassi and have always looked up to her assiduous nature, high success, and willingness to mentor and motivate others to do the same.
Women in Tech: Beth Waller
Career at ivision
Beth is a Senior Consultant with ivision’s Consulting Services team. She’s had over 28 years of industry experience and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Science in Information Technology from AIU, Atlanta. Her tenure with ivision has been inspiring to so many and we are so grateful to have her on our team.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I’ve always loved science and math even though they were not my best subjects. The common aspects that I love about these disciplines is researching and problem-solving. IT is, at its root, about solving problems so I find it fun and satisfying.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Don’t be intimidated and definitely don’t feel limited by the societal perceptions of how an “IT person” should look or behave or what they should know. IT needs people of all backgrounds and skills – creative people, logical people, quick thinkers, deep thinkers, you name it! If you have the desire to be challenged, perseverance to work through challenges, and desire to continually learn then IT is for you.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
My biggest influence was a woman I worked with in my first job after graduating in 1990. She mentored me, supporting my growth and development and encouraged me to set goals for my future and to dream big!
Women in Tech: Debbie Parker
Career at ivision
Debbie is a Delivery Manager on ivision’s Service Delivery team. She brings over 35 years of industry experience and ensures that ivision delivers on the commitments made to our clients. She currently manages a team of ivision employees and affiliates, working closely with one of our longest-standing clients. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems from Georgia State University.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
There was a lot of press at the time about this being a big area for growth, lots of great job possibilities and Atlanta was a great place to look for those jobs with companies like IBM, DEC, NCR, Coke, GA Pacific etc.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
There are so many avenues to explore! People often just think of the programming aspect of tech. Explore areas like project management, testing, business analysis, technical sales, and many other options if writing code doesn’t sound like your thing. My career in IT afforded me the opportunity to live and work in the UK for 13 years as well as the opportunity to travel for work to many countries around the world. Looking back, this career did not seem like the most natural fit for me. However, with a little trial and error, I found my way to great companies and roles that have been both challenging and extremely rewarding. Trust your gut and take some risks!
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
I went to work for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in the mid-80s. DEC was a great company with a great leader, Ken Olsen (read about him!). Olsen created an environment where diversity was welcomed, and he put a lot of women in leadership roles. I spent 16 years at this company and was supported and mentored by amazing, capable women, many of whom were in roles that were traditionally very male dominant. These women helped pave the way for many younger women, who like me who joined the company right out of college. Seeing their successes and achievements gave us confidence that helped us grow our own successful careers.
Women in Tech: Zoe Taylor
Career at ivision
Zoe is a Video Producer on the ivision Marketing Team. She’s been in the tech industry for just over two years following her graduation from the University of Georgia with a degree in Mass Media Arts. Zoe leverages a variety of technology to help bring the ivision story to life with internal videos, fully-animated explainer videos, and client testimonial videos.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I chose my career for the creative aspects of it and see the technology as more of a tool. The better I understand the technology the more seamless my job becomes and the more options I have for creative storytelling.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Don’t get bogged down by perfectionism. In the case of video production, your early work will be bad, but getting your hands on the gear, software, and just doing it is the best way to learn and become better.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
Since video technology progresses at such a rapid rate and being a one-person crew is a fairly new phenomenon, I wouldn’t say there are many people historically that I can look to. I would say I have been very influenced by the women I see on YouTube, such as Iz Harris. She has a great series called “Ugh, I hate this but it’s actually really useful” where she makes the techy parts of filmmaking less intimidating.
Women in Tech: Beth Beavers
Career at ivision
Beth just recently joined the ivision team as an Analyst II with four years of IT experience. She graduated from Kennesaw State University with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Although she is a new addition, we already know she is a valuable asset to the team and we’re so excited to have her on board.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
It is a fun and ever-changing environment with new challenges around every corner.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
My advice would be to be curious and unafraid to ask questions. This field is wide incredibly and deep, so the more you learn about each piece, the better prepared you will be for the truly puzzling issues. This is a good trait regardless of field, but in IT there are so many pieces that rely on each other that it is beneficial to know at least tidbits about each.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
I had a female programming teacher for the very beginning level programming in school who made it interesting and fun to do the homework. Her first language was not English, so I really admired her for choosing to teach such a difficult to explain topic. She was engaging and helpful and really made me interested in the field in a way that I don’t think another teacher would have.
Women in Tech: Mary Kinney
Career at ivision
Mary has been in the IT industry for over 20 years, in many different roles. At ivision, Mary has recently been promoted to Senior Manager of our Managed Services team, where she helps our Global Service Center operate smoothly and ensures compliance and scales process across the organization.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
The career chose me. I was literally asked to support a small location data center when the individual had to take a leave. I was trained over the phone day by day from the home office technical support teams to support the southern region of a large insurance company. The rest is history.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
IT is a continuous learning curve not only with technologies but with business needs and changes. Have a passion in what you do, no matter what it is, and never stop learning.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
Faith Wood, she was a coworker in the IT department and eventually promoted to CIO. She was a huge influence in my IT career, she was a highly respected individual and made me realize the type of manager everyone should be.
Women in Tech: Jenna Mummaw
Career at ivision
Jenna has been a part of the IT industry since graduating college. Her degree from Georgia Southern University in Marketing with an emphasis on sales and sales management helped her get her foot in the door. Ultimately, though, she decided that her passion was for process and operations, leading her to her career at ivision as a Senior Manager for our Consulting Services practice.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
Right after college, I started working at IBM in an Inside Sales role. Their rigorous training program gave me a foundation for the industry, its customers, and the unique challenges they face. After starting a family, I knew I couldn’t continue to network over late-night dinners, conferences, and weekend outings, but I also knew I wanted to stay in this industry. I decided to make a shift and create my own path by exploring a career in IT operations and support. I honestly feel like this was the best career move I could have made. While I’m not a technical person by nature, I still get to make an impact by implementing processes that, ultimately, help solve problems for our clients.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Don’t be discouraged from this pursuing this industry just because you’re not an engineer or have a technical background. There are so many other areas of IT where you can apply your skills. Operations, marketing, HR, accounting…they’re all part of making an organization successful and, in each one, you get the chance to grow your career. Technology is constantly changing and businesses constantly need to adapt. If you are a process-driven person, you can understand the way those processes impact the larger structure of the organization. Businesses need all different skill sets to be successful!
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
Honestly, it all started with my parents. I saw the exciting world they were a part of and it just felt natural to me. As I’ve grown and changed my path throughout my career, I’ve always known that I wanted to be in the same fast-paced industry that they were in. And they didn’t just inspire me; my siblings have followed in their footsteps in their own way.
Women in Tech: Brooke Carroll
Career at ivision
Brooke recently joined ivision as an associate recruiter. Her knowledge of the IT industry paired with her passion for helping others succeed has been beneficial in so many ways already. In her three years of experience, Brooke has realized the importance of diversity and representation in the workplace and hopes to help ivision continue recruiting exceptional talent.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I’ve always had a passion for helping people. I was presented with a great opportunity to work with an IT company as a Support Coordinator. Being the liaison between clients, managers, and engineers, I learned so much about IT and fell in love with the industry almost immediately. Now, as a recruiter for an IT company I’m challenged daily to learn more about the industry. I love how technology is constantly evolving and how it has made our lives easier in more ways than we can count.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. If you believe in your decision, it’s worth the risk. Trust your instincts and follow your gut whenever possible.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
Honestly, my mom has been a huge influence in my life. It was just the two of us for a long time. She has always been a work-horse, so strong, and taught me a lot about taking the right risks and never giving up.
Women in Tech: Laura Melton
Career at ivision
Laura first joined ivision as our Chief Financial Officer in 2010 and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2018. With an impressive 10 years in the IT world and a degree in Business and Finance from Belmont Abbey College, Laura uses her experience and passion to drive ivision’s key goals of profitability, customer success, and internal culture cultivation.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I’m not certain that it was a conscious decision, but early in my career, I discovered my love for data and process and the many ways in which both can be used to quickly create solutions to real business challenges. I worked hard to apply that passion in other sectors, namely Financial Services and Not for Profit, but really found my home in Technology. Here, I’m surrounded by data-driven people who are equally passionate (and many times more so) about creating solutions that change the marketplace, address client challenges, and positively contribute to the growth of our company.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
- Approach each challenge as a growth opportunity, not a roadblock – I accepted my first CFO role at age 32 at a sizeable 400-person non-profit. Many of the organization’s leaders were not excited about having a young woman in the role. Rather than letting the negative sentiment derail me, I approached challenge with humility and a genuine interest in learning about each person as well as their lines of business. I was open to learning and really grew exponentially in my years there and was able to leave that organization a better place than when I entered it.
- Seek mentors each step of the way – Mentors can be a critical component to both professional and personal growth and the right mentor can help you identify and address gaps in your development plan and obstacles in your path. Often, mentors don’t simply appear before you; you need to seek them out and be persistent.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
While it’s so inspiring to see many incredible women in leadership roles in our industry, I can honestly say that the woman who influenced my life and work most was my mother. I was raised in the military and we moved often; my mother was such a strong example of what hard work and embracing change looks like. She can get anything done….truly anything…and finds a way to help or contribute to anyone who asks. I was raised to believe that you can accomplish anything if you’re willing to put in the work.
Women in Tech: Lisa Josey
Career at ivision
As ivision’s Sales Operations Manager, Lisa Josey partners with almost every department, from sales and marketing to engineering and service delivery. Having spent her entire career in technology, she continues to provide valuable insights that help ivision’s teams work smarter, not harder.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
Truthfully, I chose a job right out of college in the tech field because it was offered to me. I ended up liking it so much that I decided to make a career out of it. I was drawn to the fast pace and the ability to be in a cutting-edge industry, and it hasn’t disappointed.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Although the number of women in tech has grown throughout the years, we are still in the minority. The best advice I was given was that it’s not just about working hard but also putting yourself out there at the same time. Fight for your place at the table because you deserve to be there.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
Honestly, I am influenced and inspired by each of the women I work with here at ivision. I am so impressed by their technology skills, the way they lead their teams, and by the passion they possess for everything they do.
Women in Tech: Jessica Black
Career at ivision
Jessica has been an integral part of ivision’s outside sales team since she joined. Her 14 years of experience is evident not only in the connections that she’s made within the industry but also the thoughtful way she approaches each and every interaction with her clients. We are constantly grateful for her impact to our organization as a whole.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I chose Technology as my career because it was the one field that seemed the most open and versatile to me. Technology touches everything we do in nearly every profession and there was such a large number of technology-related jobs. Even though I was steered away from a career in technology by many who felt it was not a field for women, I am so glad it was still the choice I made.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Technology careers are more rewarding than most and you get to work with some of the most extraordinary people. In 2019 it’s not really, as much about encouraging more women into technology-related jobs as it was in the past, it’s more about training and encouraging them to not be afraid to step up and take a lead role in technology. Currently, only 9% of CIOs are female and this is something that we all can work to change.
Women in Tech: Seema Camp
Career at ivision
With a degree in MIS and Finance from Clarkson University and an MBA from Emory, Seema Camp brings an impressive 19 years of industry experience to ivision. As the Senior Director of Customer Success, she leads a team of dedicated service delivery managers who ensure that every project is completed above our clients’ expectations. Her enthusiasm for process and passion for innovation has proven essential to ivision’s success.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I was fascinated by the .com boom of 1999/2000. The reach of the internet into our day-to-day lives was so new and exciting that I wanted to be part of it. I perused a co-op job with Intel in California and was able to work with engineers at the forefront of the technology explosion. My love and passion for technology were cemented that summer in California.
What advice would you give to girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Do internships and co-ops in the field while in college. It’s a great way to gain real-world experience and build your resume while you are still studying. And the relationships you build during that time will translate to career opportunities after graduation. A great internship can open the door to your first job out of college.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
In my first job at GE, I was lucky enough to have a mentor and boss, Christine Tine. She had a profound impact on who I am today. She leads by example and taught me how to leverage technology to move a business forward.
Thanks for checking us out all month long! Happy Women’s History Month from ivision!
Want to learn more about an exciting career in the IT industry? Check out our careers page for current openings.
