We are so excited to have Ashley Fry as our special guest on this month’s WIT podcast. Ashley was one of our dynamic keynote speakers at our 2019 Women in Tech Dinner. In fact, we got so many great questions, we decided to sit down and explore the topic of male allies a bit more.
Announcement: we’re doing a special drawing this month at our WIT breakfast. On June 5th, 2019 at 4 Cats in SLO, where our WIT breakfast meets, anyone who brings a male ally will be entered into a drawing for a giftcard (one for them and one for their ally). We’ll have a second drawing for male allies who come on their own and know the codeword shared in the podcast.
Before we dive in on the topic, here’s a bit about Ashley:
Ashley Fry is currently the VP of Agile Development & Quality at Dassault Systemes, IQMS and also consults with businesses as a Leadership & Organizational Strategist and Scrum Coach.
It was in a Tech Support role where Ashley discovered the exhilarating high she received from uncovering and getting to the bottom of bugs. She made her way into product development gaining experience in various roles and ultimately worked her way up to management. Ashley has about 10 years of experience working in fast-paced Agile Scrum environments and has led large product development teams, creating both SaaS and on-premise solutions.
Ashley is passionate about creating psychologically safe, experimentation-based work cultures centered around learning, autonomy, and celebrating failure. She is a devout believer that cultivating this type of environment ignites employees’ passion, ownership, and empowerment. Ashley is also a champion for women empowerment and engagement in leadership roles- specializing in tech.
Ashley sat down with me to talk about the importance of male allies—why we need them, how to support them, and pro-tips for becoming one. Hear all her insights in the interview below:
Resources:
During the podcast, Ashley recommended a few resources for becoming and supporting allies:
It’s been a bit since we had a post up, so we’re do for a quick update. 2019 is off to a great start for our WIT community. We started a new podcast, changed up the format of our breakfasts, and had an awesome Women in Tech dinner (shoutout to everyone who attended and made it such a success!). We even have a new newsletter focused on women in tech that will be coming to inboxes near you.
For those of you who want the scoop on everything that’s happened, here’s the short recap:
WIT has a new mission statement: To be a resource to women in the central coast community, supporting their pursuit of technical knowledge and careers through empowerment, professional development, and education.
Women in Softec leadership—while we’ve always had dynamic women on the Softec board and in leadership positions over the years, we’re excited to have Victoria Hanna as our president and Kelly Irish as our Vice President this year.
Our annual theme is retention. We’re talking about strategies to retain diverse talent on three levels: personal, organizational, and community.
We’re podcasting! Once a month we do a 15-20 minute podcast episode around a topic. We interview an expert and bring your questions. These get posted so everyone can listen to them prior to our breakfasts. We’re doing our best to pair them with resources and links you can take back to your workplace. Find updates here on our blog, on Soundcloud, or on Facebook.
Breakfasts are no longer interviews, but a discussion of the topic from the podcast. It’s a win-win—we get better audio quality on the interviews and you get more time to connect and discuss the topic.
WIT Newsletter: it’s coming soon! We’ll have a place for you to sign-up to receive emails about our events and get the podcast delivered directly to you inbox.
We’re listening: we want to hear from you—at our breakfasts and lunches, via social media, or through interpretive dance. Don’t be shy about sharing your questions, thoughts, ideas, poems, or insights—our community is why we do what we do.
We’re looking forward to a great year—thanks for being part of our community!
Position Profile Job Title: IT Support Technician with Digital West Effective Date: Feb. 22nd, 2019
Overview
The IT Support Tech is part of the Service Delivery (SD) team is an integral part of the company’s focus and commitment to supporting our customers. SD team members are the “first face” customers encounter when they need support, therefore, a positive, professional, and helpful disposition is essential. The most important characteristics of this team member are reliability, dependability, and the willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in assisting customers. The most important skills of Service Delivery team members are computer and telephone technical knowledge,
troubleshooting skills, and the ability to pro-actively monitor internal equipment for alarms affecting service. Team
members must also have an ability to work with fellow technicians as a team and exhibit patience and good judgment. Team members are encouraged to pursue continuing education.
IT Support positions are based in our Administrative Office during weekdays and at our Network Operations Center (NOC) during swing, graveyard, and weekend shifts. Those working at the NOC are responsible for the safety, security and functionality of the Data Center and other areas of the Network Operations building.
Responsibilities
• Answer support-related phone calls
• Respond to Trouble Tickets in a timely fashion
• Escalate Tickets or Alerts beyond skill level to appropriate personnel
• Assist Engineering staff with hardware maintenance, testing, and preparation
• Provision and de-provision services for customers
• Assist Engineering staff with trouble tickets escalated by less-experienced techs
• Ensure physical security of Data Center, NOC building, and occupants
• Prevent entry to building and data center of any unauthorized persons
• Check Identification and issue pass token to approved visitors
• Ensure that power and HVAC always function properly, including emergency backup systems
• Keep data center and racks clean
• Ensure safety of Data Center and NOC environment and occupants
• Ensure that all emergency systems (i.e. Fire Suppression, Security, and Telephone Communications) are functioning as expected
• Ensure that all Moves/Adds/Changes/Deletes are handled properly
• Assist Corporate Services department with service audits
• Develop expertise on a specific subject matter (determined by discussion with management)
• Develop and maintain documentation for Digital West subject matter
• Daily and weekly checklists are performed and reports submitted on-time
• Internal documentation remains current and accurate.
Job Requirements
• High-School Diploma or equivalent
• Able to pass a drug check and background investigation
• Able to speak, type, and hand-write English clearly with proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling
• Able to work rotating shifts including graveyard or swing, including holidays, on a regular basis
• Have your own transportation enabling you to get to and from work on time for whichever shifts you are assigned
• Able to sit and stand for long periods of time
• Able to type at a keyboard, use a mouse, focus on a computer monitor for long periods of time without causing or exacerbating any injury or medical condition
• Able to solve simple puzzles and arithmetic problems
• Able to create a checklist and follow it in order of arrangement without losing track of completed tasks
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications such as Word and Excel
• Working knowledge of basic Networking and OSI model.
• Familiarity with web and email hosting, databases, programming
• Familiarity with Operating Systems (Linux, Mac OS, Android, Windows, iOS)
• Certifications (i.e. Network+, A+, MTA, Junos JNCIA, Linux +) and/or three years equivalent experience preferred.
Position Overview. The Estuary Program seeks a detail-oriented and highly organized individual to ensure that all operational accounting and financial support is timely, accurate, and consistent with all organization policies and procedures. The Finance & Operations Coordinator assists with human resources and grant management. S/he supports administration and infrastructure for the Estuary Program and reports to the Executive Director.
The Organization. The Morro Bay National Estuary Program brings citizens, local governments, non-profits, government agencies, and landowners together to protect and restore Morro Bay. The Estuary Program is a non-regulatory, not-for-profit organization that conducts monitoring and research, restores natural habitats, and educates residents and visitors on how to keep Morro Bay clean and healthy. The Morro Bay National Estuary Program is one of 28 national estuary programs around the country that are working to safeguard and improve the health of some of our nation’s most important coastal waters. The Estuary Program achieves results by
closely collaborating with many partners to accomplish our shared goals of protecting and restoring the estuary and the watershed. For more information about the program, visit www.mbnep.org.
Duties and Responsibilities.
Accounting and Finance (75%)
Coordinate day-to-day finance operations, including processing deposits, payables, reimbursements, and invoicing.
Support annual audit through data gathering and analysis.
Maintain filings to ensure compliance with federal and state requirements as well as internal policies.
Assist with tracking of match for grant reporting.
Conduct monthly statement preparation for outside financial firm to close the books.
Human Resources (10%)
Help maintain compliance with all employee policies and procedures.
Prepare and maintain employee forms, packets, records, and files.
Help oversee processing of payroll by outside firm.
Assist in the administration of health insurance, flexible spending, and retirement benefits.
Generate reporting forms including W-2s.
Other Administrative and Organizational Duties (15%)
Serve as first point of contact in office, via managing phone, email accounts, and walk-in members of the public.
Schedule and provide coordination support for committee and board meetings, including preparation and distribution of meeting materials, minutes, etc.
Maintain a project tracking system to monitor the status of project deliverables, budgets, etc.
Required Qualifications.
BA/BS in finance, accounting, or business management (or equivalent experience).
At least three to five years of experience in bookkeeping and budget tracking.
Knowledgeable on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Expertise in QuickBooks and Excel.
General computer fluency, including Microsoft Office, Internet, typing/word processing, and data entry skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills, including strong oral and written communication skills, problem solving, active listening, and critical thinking.
Comfortable learning new things and expanding skills.
Detailed-oriented and able to manage multiple responsibilities, with excellent planning, organizational, follow-up, and tracking skills.
Able to work independently while responding to feedback and direction.
Able to prioritize and perform several tasks concurrently with ease and professionalism.
Flexible and adaptive work style.
Valid driver’s license, insurance, and a safe driving record. Regular access to a reliable vehicle. Willingness to travel to local sites for program activities.
Strong commitment to environmental conservation and the mission of the Estuary Program.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or similar.
Experience working with small non-profit organizations.
Knowledge of environmental conservation programs and practices.
Pay, Benefits, & Work Environment. This is a non-exempt, full-time position of 35-40 hours per week, with a rate of $19 to $22/hour, depending on relevant experience. Benefits package includes sick leave, paid vacation, and holidays. Group health insurance and simple IRA
retirement savings plan provided with employer contribution. Casual office environment. Occasional evening and weekend work for meetings and events within the county. Estuary Program staff are employees of The Bay Foundation of Morro Bay, a non-profit corporation that provides the administrative framework for the Estuary Program.
How to Apply. Submit a resume and cover letter to the Morro Bay National Estuary Program. Email submissions preferred. Please send to apply@mbnep.org, subject line – Finance and Operations Coordinator. Applications are due by December 7 at 5 p.m. Proof of valid driver’s license, insurance, and clean driving record required for employment (must provide prior to an offer being made). The Bay Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.
601 Embarcadero, Suite 11
Morro Bay, CA 93442
www.mbnep.org
The closing moments of a Startup Weekend are truly all of these things. This weekend I spend 3 very long days at the Startup Weekend at Cal Poly. At the end I was truly Exhilarated by working with smart and dedicated people, Energized by what they can bring to our community and the world, and Exhausted from lack of sleep. For those not aware of the Startup Weekend Movement it is a global program that provides a forum for those that want to explore entrepreneurial ideas with like minded individuals. While the event is held at Cal Poly and the majority of the participants are students the event is open to the public. If you have never experienced one of these I highly recommend them as a bucket list idea.
Keynote
This year started on Friday evening with a keynote from Kyle Wiens CEO of IFixIt. Kyle is always interesting to listen to because he has great storytelling ability and an interesting business. He is a Cal Poly grad and a long time sponsor of the Startup Weekend. Kyle did not fail to deliver energy and inspiration to the event. It was also great to see a local tech company engaged. If the Startup Weekend creates one more Kyle in our community that will a major homerun.
After the keynote they play a game of rock, paper, scissors. With the groups joining each other until there are only two groups left. This serves the purpose of mixing the groups up and it does a good job of this. It gets people out of their seats and interacting with each other. Since the group is very techy my only hope is that in the future they consider upgrading the game to the newest version. Here is my upgrade recommendation. Pitches
Next in the process are the pitches where each person with an idea gets up and does a 60 second pitch that is summarized and posted on the wall. With about 100 people in the event we ended up with about 50 concepts. This is followed by the chaos of voting and it is truly an inspiration for the State of Florida. Each person has three dots that they attach to the ideas they liked best and at the end of that the votes are tallied and the top 12 concepts are announced. I pitched a concept of an Enterprise Search solution but with only two votes my idea was crushed by others. Only the best survive and that is the way it should be.
Teams
Next came team formation and this is really the magic of the weekend and it is pure chaos. As it approached the end of process there were just a few kids left to be picked for a team and I was one of those. When that was announced Garrett Perkins the evangelist for the Ethic Marketplace invited me to his team. So true to the Startup Weekend best practice nobody is left unengaged not even the Token Old Guy.
Idea Evolution
The idea evolution is always an interesting process. Everyone looks at the challenges and goals differently based on their life experiences. From that diversity that the team gets its strength but it also causes tension in a fast paced evolving environment.As one of the people that brings up lots of the challenges it can be difficult for those possessed with the vision but the team always seems to find the balance. I like working with people that are smarter than I am and that was certainly true in this team. Working with brilliant people on tough problems is tons of fun.
Judging
Before discussing judging I have to disclose my bias. I thought the team I worked with was clearly better than the other groups although in the same breath I have to say that all the teams did great work. Having served as a judge before I know how hard it is to compare highly diverse proposals so reasonable people can disagree and I have more than a little bias toward our team. I do not believe in the everyone is winner concept because without failure we have no growth. These people are about to enter the business community and they will change the world and it will be better off because of them.
I was really disappointed in the level of community involvement in the final presentation and it is something that we can do better on. Our community and the tech community in specific needs to celebrate these people and this process because
as a community we get what we celebrate
If nothing else our team should have got honorable mention as the only team in uniform on Veterans Day. I am extremely proud of the work this team did on the important issue of conscious consumerism. I am excited to see them talk about taking this forward and they have the right stuff to change the world with this one.
What’s Next
Startup Weekends are a global program with hundreds of thousands of participants. On average 12% of the ideas pitched go on to some advanced stage of business formation. Here locally because of the support from Cal Poly and the Tech Business community our rate is much much higher. Often business survival is compared to baseball batting averages so the global batting average is .120, SLO is much higher probably .350 or so and I am batting .500 with a ball in the air with faith that this one could go over the wall. It has a couple of evangelists and a team of incredibly smart people aligned on the mission. Ethic Marketplace could be something important to our community and the world.
Watch for these Businesses in 2018!
Poly Peels
Tulum Cosmetics
Poly Talent
EleVate
Openspace VR
Obodo
Female Synergies
Health Block
Spiced
OMO
Ethic Marketplace
Why I do this?
Okay so I am a little crazy and that helps explain some of this but there is much more. To me this is a form of giving back to my community and I have been an advocate for Tech Entrepreneurs forever. Many of my peers give back as speakers, which is something I hate doing. Others serve as mentors, which is another way you can give back, and the the team experiences are much better because of that service to community. My choice is to have the deep experience of working in the trenches with the team as they bring innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit to our community. These teams are a critical element in the high quality of life we enjoy. We have to continue to innovate and create new business so we can live locally and compete globally with a quality of life I want for my family and community.
This is my 9th Startup Weekend and every time I learn from the team I work with and hopefully I contribute back. I love the fact that we are celebrating the Entrepreneurial Spirit in our community. Cal Poly and several community minded businesses and individuals have engineered a full ecosystem that starts with Startup Weekend, flows to the Hatchery and Hot House and ultimately to our tech business community. These new businesses create head of household jobs that improve our standard of living. I cannot think of anything better I could do over a weekend than help this exist in our community.
Shout Outs
No article about Startup Weekends would be right without shout outs to the people that make it happen. That has to start with the Cal Poly Entrepreneurs (CPE) Club currently lead by Sierra Scolaro and the event lead Alistair Schwab. The entire team from this organization are just amazing.
They coordinate everything and while nothing is ever perfect this event is as close as it gets. The energy and attention to details makes a complex event seen simple.
The sponsors contribute the treasure needed to bring this to the community but one sponsor has to be called out and that is Guayaki. They actually provide the energy and some might even say the caffeine to fuel the teams.
Our shout outs cannot be complete without without mentioning the mentors. These experts volunteer their time and help all the groups in their specific specialty. Here they are:
Elan Timmons
Nick Fisher
Zachary Sharpell
Lorelei Sibet
Carol Kerwin
Pankaj Kumar
Chris Rollins
Chip Besse
Lynn Metcalf
Elan Timmons
Nick Fisher
Zachary Sharpell
Lorelei Sibet
Pankaj Kumar
About the Author:
Bob Dumouchel is a serial tech entrepreneur with four successful tech startups and three spectacular failures (batting average .571). Bob has been a Softec Member since inception, served as the Softec President twice, and served on the Board of Directors for over 20 years, and his businesses has been Softec Sponsors forever. Bob is a Senior Data Scientist at Systems & Marketing Solution a Google Ads Agency that creates unfair advantage for clients in PPC, SEO, and Social Media. Bob founded the Regional CEO Roundtables and ran the program for the first 11 years.
Footnotes:
I was sick earlier in the week and was still recovering so my energy level was not what it normally is. As a result of that I did not get around to talking to all the other groups and I did go home 3 hours early on Saturday, which I felt bad about. I got 5 hours of sleep that day compared to the normal of about 3. As everyone on the team agreed sleep is grossly overrated 😉
Or for more information, contact Jessica Byrne at BGCSMV (805) 354-7425 jbyrne@bgcsmv.org (Recruiting hub for TreeHouse Inc. Tech program and MINDBODY)
This is an amazing opportunity for you and our community! Take advantage! It may change your life!
Position: Junior Quality Assurance Technician, StreamGuys Location: Broad Street, San Luis Obispo, CA Job Summary:
The Junior Quality Assurance Technician is responsible for testing and ensuring that software produced
by the company is free of technical issues and adheres to the development and style guidelines used by
the company. The technician will work closely with the Development department to assist in the
identification, documentation, and troubleshooting of issues that may exist in the products developed
by the company, providing critical support to expedite development pipelines.
Duties and Expectations:
Validates product workflows and identifies errors in implementation
Utilizes project tracker to document and track known issues
Perform routine audits of products to identify potential unknown issues or areas of improvement
Writes technical documentation of features
Provides training support for new clients using developed products
Assist frontline technicians in troubleshooting products supported by the Development Department
Knowledge, Skills, and Requirements for Junior Software Developer:
Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science required or similar life experience
Experience with PHP, Node.js, HTML5, Javascript, and CSS preferred
Familiarity with frameworks and MVC architectures; Experience with Laravel preferred.
Comfortable navigating the Linux command-line.
Knowledge of code versioning best practices and usage of repository management applications like git.
Strong reading comprehension and communication skills
Problem solving and critical thinking
Time management and ability to work unsupervised on individual tasks
Demonstrated ability to strictly follow code policies and procedures
Familiarity with live streaming media servers preferred
We were so excited to have Lori Jordan as our special guest at this month’s WIT breakfast.
Lori Jordan moved to San Luis Obispo in 2012 after living in Los Angeles for ten years. Before this she was in San Francisco after leaving San Luis Obispo in 1998. Lori graduated from Cal Poly with a B.S. in Recreation Administration and a specialized concentration in Industrial Engineering.
Straight out of school, Lori worked for local SLO radio stations as the Promotions Director. She moved to San Francisco in 1998 where she found her place at OpenTV. A Start-up with under 100 employees, Lori experienced the growth and eventual IPO of the company while serving as Product Manager, Tools. After working at two more start-ups in SF, Lori eventually moved to Los Angeles in 2002 where she worked for Yahoo!, Movielink, Netflix and Paramount Pictures. She mostly focused on the new market of Digital Distribution for film and TV.
While at Paramount Pictures, Lori was inspired to start a business in the digital content space, so did just this with her husband. Red Staple focused on creating and delivering interactive movies, albums and books to the iTunes platform. She also started a company in the knitting and fiber industry, Yarn Pop, which she ultimately sold in 2015.
Today, Lori works at the Cal Poly, Center For Innovation & Entrepreneurship where she heads up programs and the Summer Accelerator as the Director of Student Innovation Programs.
Hear Lori’s insights on startups, creating culture, and developing innovation by checking out the track below:
Note: Thanks for your patience with our audio quality. We’re grassroots and meeting in a coffee shop, so some noise slips through—but we feel the information is just to important not to post.
Looking for information on upcoming events? Have a speaker you’d like to nominate? Want to support local women in tech? Follow us on Facebook!
We were so excited to have Judy Mahan was our special guest at this month’s WIT breakfast.
Judy Mahan has a dual role as the Incubator Director for the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the SLO HotHouse, and the Director of the Cal Poly Small Business Development Center (“SBDC”). At the SLO HotHouse, she leads the programming to assist in the business development of the twenty-one current incubating companies. On the SBDC side, Judy manages the pool of 24 expert consultants who support SBDC clients. With her experience as a corporate and securities attorney, Judy also provides legal guidance to more than 135 company clients within the SLO County SBDC network.
After graduating with a J.D. from the University of Paris X Law School, in France, Judy pursued an LLM in International Tax Law at Golden Gate University, San Francisco. She immediately began her career as an associate attorney for DLA Piper (formerly Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, LLP) in Palo Alto. During her time in Silicon Valley, she represented tech startups in venture financings, as well as institutional investors in private equity and debt transactions. She also represented companies in public offerings (IPOs), and has experience in general licensing and commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions.
Judy has led a number of mutli-million dollar deals, including the IPO for Salon Media Group, Maxtor Corporation’s acquisition of Quantum’s computer hard disk line of business, and a number of acquisitions for Finisar Corporation, the world’s largest supplier of optical communication components and subsystems.
With her inquisitive personality, Judy’s career has been interspersed with a few adventures to the pacific region: one year in Vanuatu as a Senior Manager of Trust and Corporate Services, and another in the Federated States of Micronesia (“FSM”) as the Special Assistant to the President of FSM.
Hear Judy’s insights on starting a business, starting over, and calling out sexism by checking out the track below:
Note: Thanks for your patience with our audio quality. We’re grassroots and meeting in a coffee shop, so some noise slips through—but we feel the information is just to important not to post.
Looking for information on upcoming events? Have a speaker you’d like to nominate? Want to support local women in tech? Follow us on Facebook!
We invite you and your kids to celebrate our 10th Annual Student Robotics EXPO on Monday, September 24 from 5:30-8:30pm at the Alex Madonna Inn Expo Center.
This year we have named a theme for our event:
“Robots and Sports”
Participants and teams will dress up and decorate their booth. Prizes awarded for best in theme!
We are expecting to exceed last year’s attendance which was 800 attendees.
We will have many booths, the Drone Arena, another food truck, and more fun! Visit our Robotics event page for all the details.
