Women in Tech: Names You Should Know
Last year, we featured a few of ivision’s incredible women in tech. We’re back again to celebrate Women’s History Month and introduce you to some of the women who “Make IT Happen.” We’re proud to have some of the best IT professionals in Atlanta working right here in our office (well, remotely). It’s what makes us a great place to work, and a great partner to work with.
Courtney Simo – Sr. Account Executive
Career Journey
I spent six and half years in IT staffing and rural sourcing. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about technology and helping executives find technology talent to complete their initiatives. It soon became second nature to connect people with opportunities through networking. ivision seemed like that natural next step for me.
Instead of providing resources and handing them off to the client to complete a project, I’m now able to be part of the entire process and provide an end-to-end solution fitting the needs of a client. In addition to that, making this career move really came down to ivision’s unmatched culture, the people, the leadership and the incredibly talented engineers at ivision. I truly love what I’m doing!
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I graduated with a degree in business and marketing and never knew I’d be in technology. However, now that I am, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else. There is something exhilarating about being in-the-know with the cutting-edge changes and behind-the-scenes operations that make our daily lives turn in perfect synchronization.
What advice would you give women or girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
You may not know what you’re doing at first but just jump in, raise your hand to volunteer and always be eager to learn from others and on your own.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
I can’t put my finger on a single person, but rather all of the leaders and individuals that make up the Atlanta Technology Professionals (ATP) organization. ATP has played an incredibly influential role in my technology career through continued education, connecting with other technologists and giving back to the local community.
Iris Faulkner – Analyst II
Career Journey
My first real job out of high school was working at Piedmont Newnan Hospital as a rehabilitation aide (I originally went to school for physical therapy). After working there for about two years, I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in IT.
I got a job in McDonough, Georgia, at OnsiteRIS (now Honorbuilt). I started out answering calls as a QSR Technician, later becoming a QSR Shift Lead. While working there, I graduated from college with an associate degree in cyber security. After months of job hunting and interviews, I finally found a position that was the right fit for me as a Network & Systems Analyst here at ivision.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
As a kid, I was always taking apart anything that had power and made noise to see how it worked. That evolved into being the go-to person in my family for anything about technology. I have always been the person everyone calls to install, download, or show how to use the latest device. I’ve saved my parents and myself a lot of money by not having to pay someone to fix a computer. I don’t know everything, but I enjoy working in a field that is consistently changing. It never gets boring!
What advice would you give women or girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
JUST DO IT! We need more women in the IT field. There are so many different things you can do in technology and you will always have a job. I have always lived by what my granddad told me every time we talked: “You can do anything you put your mind to. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” I don’t let anything stop me because it is “male-dominated.”
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
I believe my mom was the main person telling me to pursue a career in technology. She saw how fascinated I was with gaming, computers, phones — all of it. She would say, “You should go to school for technology. You’re already good at it.” As a kid, I never thought anything of it but as I got older, I started to search careers in IT trying to decide what I wanted to go to school for. It took me some time in college, and majoring in something completely different, to realize that my mom was right all along.
Quiana Williams – Analyst II
Career Journey
I moved to Atlanta in 2010 after I initially was in school for nursing. I had decided after one too many biology courses that nursing wasn’t for me. When I moved to Atlanta, I intended to pursue a career in music and was going to enroll in a tech school for audio engineering. During the enrollment process, one of the administrators suggested that I switch to a career in information technology and I decided to take her advice.
Ever since then, I have made a lot of connections in this industry and have worked for companies with many different cultures and environments. I am currently back in school to expand my current knowledge and grow myself as a future engineer here at ivision.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
Initially, a college administrator convinced me to consider information technology as a major. I have always been very interested in different types of consoles and computers, and especially anything networking related. Being in IT has allowed me to take a more hands-on approach in the development and studies of these technologies, as well as exposed me to new technologies and people who are interested in and knowledgeable about them.
What advice would you give women or girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Trust yourself. There will be a lot of opposition, and sometimes there will be those that do not want to see you succeed in this field for one reason or another. Remember your “why.” and don’t quit on yourself. Let your work do the talking!
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
When I was initially going to school for audio engineering, it was the admissions counselor who suggested that I switch to IT instead. I took her advice and haven’t looked back since! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed familiarizing myself with new technologies and making connections with people who also get a thrill out of learning more and taking action when it comes to technology.
Christina Dennis – Delivery Operations Coordinator
Career Journey
I recently joined ivision’s Delivery Operations team and have been in the tech industry for just over three years. I had a background in sales and recruiting, which gives me a unique insight on aspects of assigning the right resources on projects of all sizes and ways to improve workflow.
My passion is turning new ideas and ways of thinking into new solutions to provide outstanding internal services and solutions. I enjoy collaborating with my colleagues and am excited about the endless opportunities to creatively solve challenges during my continued growth at ivision.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
There is no better industry to be in. Technology is the most important field in the world because it consistently changes the way we live. Who wouldn’t want to be part of making everything easier, faster or better? I find it rewarding to methodically apply investigative methods and previous experience to achieve the company goals.
I love surrounding myself with people who have a thirst to know more and are interested in creating solutions that directly address challenges. The better I understand the technology, the more seamless my job becomes and the more options I have for adding new dimensions to my work.
This is an exciting market to work in because you’re constantly learning and adapting to new developments. No matter what you’re working on, no two days will be the same, which is what makes it so interesting.
What advice would you give women or girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Be open to endless possibilities for solutions. This is how you can ensure you will learn something new everyday.
Grow some thick skin and prepare yourself for constructive criticism. Eventually, you will see the value of flexibility as the industry changes.
Become comfortable with feeling uncomfortable; the best results require some level of difficulty.
The right environment is important for your individual success. Culture fit can either help or hurt your productivity. Find the right team that will allow you to be the best version of yourself!
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
Almost everyone I know and speak to in the technology field has intriguing stories about the mysteries they’ve solved. This is a group that truly enjoys progress and improvements, and a group I knew I had to become a part of.
Zoë Blutstein – Sr. Marketing Coordinator
Career Journey
Previously, I worked as a content marketer and primarily wrote about shifts in the marketing and advertising industry. I watched as the importance of technology grew and how it made such an impact on marketing and advertising. After so much time learning how marketers used technology, I thought it would be interesting to learn more about how technology uses marketing. That’s when I joined ivision.
Why did you choose a career in technology?
I chose a career in technology because it’s so incredibly present in everything we do. It’s always changing, which keeps it interesting and challenging. As technology has become vital in everyday life, it’s important to me to continue learning more about it as an industry and grow my marketing experience at the same time, so I found a job where I could do both.
What advice would you give women or girls wanting to pursue a career in tech?
Tech is going to continue to grow and change, and as it does, so will its relevance. It’s a huge industry with so much to learn from. Women can rule the world, and tech is a big part of that world. So, my advice to girls/women wanting to explore tech is to absolutely do it. Figure out what you like and see where tech applies.
Who influenced your decision to explore a technology career?
I think the biggest influence on my decision to explore technology as a career isn’t a person, but technology itself. I know I’ve said this already, but being in the middle of such an important industry and learning how it changes and applies to everyone’s lives differently is such a big reason why I wanted, and will continue, to work in tech.
