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Diversity in Tech with Joanna Udo

Diversity in Tech with Joanna Udo

By Bridges in Tech

On this weekly podcast, we’ll discover ways to increase representation in tech while sharing everyday stories of people of color in tech.

We’ll hear from advocates, recruiters, career strategists and leaders.

You’ll learn how to:

Get in the field
Grow in the field
Create the lifestyle of your dreams
Navigate corporate America

It also discusses light hearted topics about life as a technology professional.

Hosted by Joanna Udo


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Episode 1: Job Search Nuggets - Katia Dean

Diversity in Tech with Joanna UdoFeb 26, 2020

00:00
52:22
The State of Our Mental Health

The State of Our Mental Health

Welcome to the first episode of our podcast after a hiatus, on this podcast we often dive into the world of technology through the unique lens of diversity. We are your hosts from Bridges in Tech, an inclusive community dedicated to empowering black and brown women to start and excel in technology careers.


In this episode, we look back at an enlightening conversation about mental health at our weekly happy hour in 2021. 


This replay is a timeless treasure filled with practical advice, strategies, and insights on managing our mental health, specifically during challenging times like a pandemic. 


Despite the context, the wisdom Jummy shares transcends beyond the pandemic era and is applicable to all areas of life and various career paths. From dealing with stress and anxiety to finding balance and peace, Jummy provides invaluable tips that can help listeners navigate their mental health journey. 


Jummy is the owner of the Focus Conseling Clinic and has a wealth of experience in various aspects of mental health care, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and family counseling, among others. Her expertise and compassionate approach makes this episode a must listen for anyone seeking to improve their mental well-being. 


About Bridges in Tech 


Our mission is to increase representation of black and brown women in technology careers by offering resources, coaching, mentoring, and raising awareness of the myriad opportunities in the tech. Our community stands as a beacon for aspiring and current tech professionals, diversity allies, and employers or recruiters seeking to enrich their understanding and practices in the tech sector.

Our podcast is an extension of this mission. Every week, we share inspiring stories of women of color in tech, learn from leaders, recruiters, and celebrate our diversity in tech allies. From enlightening interviews to insightful discussions, we explore the challenges, triumphs, and evolution of diverse representation in tech.

So join us on this journey as we bridge the gap in technology, fostering an environment where diversity is celebrated, and everyone has the tools and knowledge to succeed.


Visit https://bridgesintech.com/ to learn more about our community, upcoming events, and how you can get involved. Together, we can shape a more inclusive future in tech.

Oct 29, 202352:41
Living a Healthi-her lifestyle as a Technology Professional w/ Gwendolyn Woody

Living a Healthi-her lifestyle as a Technology Professional w/ Gwendolyn Woody

Oct 07, 202033:00
Episode 18: Tech & Social Entrepreneurship w/ Yulkendy Valdez

Episode 18: Tech & Social Entrepreneurship w/ Yulkendy Valdez

Podcast - Yulkendy
On this episode I sit down to learn more about Yulkendy and her company Forefront.

Yulkendy is a Forbes 30 Under 30 social entrepreneur, storyteller, and TEDx speaker. As the Co-Founder and CEO of Forefront, she helps employers, schools, and nonprofits create low-barrier, culturally relevant virtual experiences for youth (ages 16-24) to facilitate their transition from education to career.

Yulkendy brings a diverse set of both corporate and nonprofit experience to the table. She’s worked with Bank of America, EY, Puma, and Innosight Consulting as well as the International Institute of St. Louis and Betty Jean Kerr People’s Centers. Yulkendy has received numerous fellowships, including the Resolution Project, Young People For, Opportunity Nation Leaders Program, Future Founders Fellowship, Net Impact Racial Equity Fellowship, Harvard Kennedy School Public Policy Leadership Conference, One Young World, StartingBloc, and PPIA Indiana University. She is a proud alumna of Babson College, #1 school for entrepreneurship. More recently, she was named one of the Latino 30 Under 30 honorees by El Mundo Boston and a top millennial in Boston by Get Konnected. With roots in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, Yulkendy has traveled to over 30+ countries for work and fun.

You can learn more about forefront at
www.getforefront.co

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Follow us on your favorite social media @bridgesintech email us at info@bridgesintech if you’d like to get on the show or know someone who should! Visit bridgesintech.com/virtualhappyhour to sign up to attend our weekly happy hour.
Sep 16, 202037:58
Episode 17: Meet The Founder & CEO of Blaq App Maureen Martin

Episode 17: Meet The Founder & CEO of Blaq App Maureen Martin

On this episode, I sit down with the Founder & CEO of Blaq App to learn more about this app that protects black and brown people in life threatening situations, or during incidents of racial profiling. Follow the journey: www.instagram.com/blaqapp www.twitter.com/Appblaq ================================================== We love to hear from you, connect with @bridgesintech on your favorite social media platform and leave us a message!  Questions or interested on coming on the podcast? email info@bridgesintech.com
Sep 11, 202045:10
Episode 16: Leadership & Data Governance w/ Andrew Ysasi

Episode 16: Leadership & Data Governance w/ Andrew Ysasi

Andrew Ysasi (EE-SA-SEE), MS, FIP, FIIM, CIPM, CIPP, CISM, PMP, CRM, IGP, CIP has worked in information management since 2007. As Vice President of Advocacy for VRC, Andrew is tasked with mentoring, educating, volunteering, and advocating for all matters related to information governance (IG). Andrew is the President of IG GURU®, an IG news organization and a resume expert with Admovio® where his work is published on CIO.com. Andrew is a frequent guest on the Inside the Records Room podcast, a contributor to ARMA's IGBOK, a contributor to Wiley's Information Governance 2nd Edition, a former Regent for the ICRM, a former board member for i-SIGMA, and a former adjunct professor at Davenport University. Andrew has a bachelor’s degree in information technology and holds a Master of Science in Administration from Central Michigan University. Find Andrew on your favorite social media platform => @andrewysasi @VitalRecordsCtrl @1gguru @Admovio ================================ Learn more about bridges in tech at www.bridgesintech.com and find us on your favorite social media platform @bridgesintech If you’d like to come on the show or have any questions please email us at info@bridgesintech.com
Aug 06, 202044:13
Episode 15: Tech Recruiting w/ Madoree Pipkins

Episode 15: Tech Recruiting w/ Madoree Pipkins

Madoree Pipkins is a career coach and recruiter that helps recent graduates and mid-career professionals transition into tech roles. She’s spent the last 6 years at various tech startups of different industries, sizes, and stages. Madoree knows what makes your resume stand out and what truly drives receiving offers after interviews — and it’s not applying to hundreds of jobs online. It’s how well you connect and network to share your expertise emphasizing and showcasing how you can do the role before you have the job. She’s helped thousands of students land their dream internships and helped professionals negotiate over $900K in additional salaries and benefits. In addition to her extensive recruiting and coaching experience, Madoree is a social good entrepreneur and owns an online fashion boutique where proceeds fund black led and serving non-profits creating an ecosystem of positive impact through fashion. You can follow @highermenow for career tips and tricks and @forwardchicboutique to shop women's trends for good. Madoree shares over 250 resources that will help boost your job search on her medium page => bit.ly/madoreejobsearch ================== Learn more about Bridges in Tech at bridgesintech.com questions or interested in coming on the show? Email us at info@bridgesintech.com
Jul 17, 202045:03
Episode 14: Virtual Reality with Taylor Freeman

Episode 14: Virtual Reality with Taylor Freeman

Taylor is deeply passionate about virtual and augmented reality for education and training. He started his journey with VR in 2014 by hosting parties and events in San Francisco where people were invited to try VR in a fun and social environment. ⁣⁣
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Over the following years, he and his team built UploadVR.com, the industry's largest daily VR news site reaching millions of people per month, established two co-working spaces in LA and San Francisco with 150 VR, AR and AI startups, hosted over 500 VR and AR focused events, trained nearly 1,000 creators on VR and AR development, and worked with companies like Google, IDEO and NASA JPL on immersive education. ⁣⁣
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As an advocate for inclusive leadership, Taylor is a founding council member of XR Inclusion and sits on the board of Women of AI. Taylor taught the first remote in-VR class at MIT, and was awarded Forbes 30 Under 30 for his work building the VR industry. ⁣

=============⁣
www. bridgesintech.com⁣
@bridgesintech on your favorite social
Jul 08, 202047:47
Episode 13: Starting A Tech Career w/ Joyce
Jul 02, 202001:08:41
Episode 12: The Way Forward: Discrimination, Racism & Privilege

Episode 12: The Way Forward: Discrimination, Racism & Privilege

After all the protests, black screens and angry posts on social media, what's next? Join me on this episode as I sit down with two men to discuss the way forward.   Guests: Aaron Bregg, Lead Information Security Analyst  Dereck Burchette II, Business Systems Analyst & information security professional Aaron hosts the #Realtalk with Aaron Bregg where he discusses information security topics.  Want to come on the show or learn more about Bridges in Tech? visit www.bridgesintech.com Bridges in tech also hosts a virtual happy hour every week and you are invited! Sign up here
Jun 24, 202001:10:18
Episode 11: Tech Recruiting w/Gabrielle Williams

Episode 11: Tech Recruiting w/Gabrielle Williams

Gabrielle Williams is a Technical Sourcer at Facebook focusing on recruitment within the Consumer Facing Product Management Space. ⁣

She comes with 3 years of experience, a Bachelor's Degree in Biopsychology from Oglethorpe University, and a Master's in Business Administration from American University's Kogod School of Business. ⁣

Williams is a current partner at Hrblgy, an herbal wellness initiative and apothecary. There, she manages finances, logistics, and operations. During her tenure at Real Staffing she was the recipient of the 2018 Midwest Recruiter of the Year and the Customer Experience Champion Awards. ⁣

She also led fundraising efforts for the African Science Academy, raising over $4,000, where she later volunteered on-site in Ghana. Gabrielle is an avid New Orleans Saints fan and OrangeTheory attendee. ⁣

She has aspirations to one day work in Business Strategy or Product Management within the Technology Industry. ⁣

Social Media Handle (Insta/Twitter): @GlobeTrottaGabs⁣
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-williams94⁣

Learn more about this podcast at www.bridgesintech.com⁣

Jun 20, 202035:29
Episode 10: Meet the Creator of the largest community of Black Women in Tech - Alexandria Noel Butler

Episode 10: Meet the Creator of the largest community of Black Women in Tech - Alexandria Noel Butler

Alexandria Noel Butler, affectionately known as Lexi B, is considered one of Silicon Valley’s candid and prominent voices. ⁣

Her thought provoking advice and opinions on how to create a more equitable work environment stem from her own experiences working in some of the most popular tech companies. ⁣

In 2013, she founded Grown Up Truth, an online magazine dedicated to the new college graduate experience. ⁣

This platform not only inspired young professionals but also experienced leaders that used this knowledge to better support their young adult workforce and how to guide them. ⁣

In April 2017, Lexi B founded Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech, a community that supports Black women in tech companies and tech related professions. ⁣

This 5,800+ international community has partnered with organizations such as Phenomenally, Instagram, Youtube, Linkedin and Slack. Lexi’s main mission is to inspire people to create their desired life journey by understanding their purpose and life goals. ⁣

In her own words, “People deserve to live the life that caters to their strengths and passions. When they truly understand what they need and what they offer, they can then implement tools to create their own path and thrive.” You can follow Lexi’s career journey on Instagram and Twitter at Unfiltered By Lexi B where she discusses career tips and tricks on how to be authentic and successful in your profession. ⁣

IG = https://www.instagram.com/unfiltered_27/⁣
Twitter =
twitter.com/ByUnfiltered
Jun 10, 202055:56
Episode 9: Life as a UX/UI Designer + Career Coach with Ashley Jenelle
May 08, 202045:50
Episode 8: Drone Security Expert - Tomiko Evans

Episode 8: Drone Security Expert - Tomiko Evans

Tomiko Evans was nominated for multiple awards during 2018, and currently in 2019 nominated for a Cyberjutsu award as a rising star in the cybersecurity field. ⁣⁣
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After working nearly 20 years in the information technology field, in May of 2018, Tomiko Evans earned a Master of Science in Cybersecurity Technology degree with honors from the multi-award winning program at University of Maryland University College (UMUC). She currently serves a US federal government agency as a Cybersecurity Consultant. ⁣⁣
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Tomiko Evans holds a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107 certification, where she is licensed as an FAA Certified Drone Pilot. In order to pursue her passion to integrate the cybersecurity discipline into the protection of systems and information in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and drones, she launched a startup called Aerial Footprint, LLC, where she partnered with Red Tail Aerial Network (http://RTAN.co). ⁣⁣
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She is an active speaker and has been featured in various events as well as podcasts. As an exemplary alumnus, Tomiko Evans was featured several times in various UMUC websites and social media stories. She has also been featured in "The Baltimore Sun" newspaper. ⁣⁣
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She wrote an article that was published in eForensic Magazine. Tomiko has also been combining her interdisciplinary professional skills and innovative artistry to produce introductory videos and educational content such as a CyberRap and DroneRap. ⁣⁣
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Just recently on Jan 2020, she became the founding member of Atlanta Chapter Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu. She was also chosen as one of the judges for the Alley of the Year 2020 Awards. ⁣⁣
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As Tomiko Evans continue her journey, she hopes to lead the younger women towards a passion of cybersecurity and Drones.⁣

Find Tomiko Evans on LinkedIn or join her Linkedin group Cybersecurity Momentum Movement⁣

Connect with @bridgesintech on your favorite social media platform and feel free to send any questions you may have to info@bridgesintech.com⁣
Apr 30, 202001:21:31
Episode 7: Life As A Full Stack Developer /w Moya Richards

Episode 7: Life As A Full Stack Developer /w Moya Richards

Moya shares her experience as a developer, lessons learned and the power of social media. ⁣

“I am a Senior Full Stack Developer. I currently write code for a company called Safco Dental Supply. At Safco, my work mostly involves writing internal applications that are used for the daily operations of the business. I run the largest JavaScript Group on Facebook with over 105k members. I write blogs on Medium and
Dev.to about JavaScript and Programming in general.⁣

I usually stay under the radar, but I thought about it... and came to the conclusion that if i want to see more #womenInTech, I have to show up and raise my voice and say, "I am here, you can be too, let me share my past experiences and what I seek to accomplish".⁣

I want to build a community where Developers are allowed to be vulnerable, where they are free to seek help with coding, get real time career advice, and make friends.”⁣


Connect with Moya using these links👇🏾⁣

https://www.facebook.com/moya.richards.dev⁣
https://medium.com/@codingstorytime⁣
https://dev.to/moyarich⁣
https://www.facebook.com/codingstorytime⁣

Visit www.bridgesintech.com to learn more about the podcast and be sure to follow @bridgesintech on your favorite social media platform.
Apr 16, 202056:20
Episode 6: Life as a Hacker w/Chris Roberts

Episode 6: Life as a Hacker w/Chris Roberts

Chris Roberts has many years of experience in cybersecurity, he’s founded or worked with a number of companies that specialize in Open-Source Intelligence/Human intelligence research, intelligence gathering, cryptography and deception technologies. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ He shares his experience as a hacker & diversity in tech ally. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ He also answers questions from women of color in tech and shares some tips on security topics. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a hacker, have an interest in hacking or just want to learn more about Chris; you don’t want to miss! ⁣ ⁣ He can be found on LinkedIn and twitter as @sidragon1⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Do you have questions, you’d like answers to on the podcast? Email them to bridgesintech@gmail.com ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Find us on social media ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ facebook.com/bridgesintech⁣⁣⁣ twitter.com/bridgesintech⁣⁣⁣ Instagram.com/bridgesintech⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ www.bridgesintech.com⁣⁣⁣
Apr 08, 202001:06:04
Episode 5: From Customer Service Representative to Consultant w/ Shanayla Sweat
Mar 30, 202048:09
Episode 4: Network Administration w/ Morgan Lucas
Mar 20, 202033:20
Episode 3: From Nanny to Rocket Scientist w/Melanie Wullaert

Episode 3: From Nanny to Rocket Scientist w/Melanie Wullaert

Melanie started engineering school in her early 30s after over a decade of not knowing what she wanted to do with her life. ⁣

Originally, her goal was to tour with bands. She booked and managed small tours in Europe in her early 20s and progressed to becoming an audio engineer in her late 20s, but never managed to break into the industry enough to make a living. ⁣

Took her another 5-ish years to find the confidence and strength to start taking pre-engineering night classes at Seattle community colleges while holding down nanny day jobs so she could pay rent and bills to survive. ⁣

"I was never good at math or physics or any other STEM class back in school, so me trying to go for an ME degree was an absolutely ludicrous idea. Turns out, I am not as bad at it as I thought!" ⁣

She was accepted into the University of Washington's Mechanical engineering department in Fall of 2015, got a NASA internship at NASA MSCF in the summer of 2017 and was promptly hired by Virgin orbit after graduation to become a Structural Dynamics Engineer for Launcher One. ⁣

Only a short while after that, she moved back home to Seattle to work for Blue origin on their New Glenn Rocket. ⁣

you can learn more about her on Facebook/Instagram under @2inkfinityandbeyond and Twitter under @Mel2Inkfinity, as she has started sharing her journey with the world. Follow @bridgesintech on your favorite social media platform.
Mar 11, 202047:39
Episode 2: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome w/ Rhonda Hill
Mar 05, 202053:20
Episode 1: Job Search Nuggets - Katia Dean
Feb 26, 202052:22
Intro

Intro

Welcome to bridges in tech, my name is Joanna Udo, a woman in IT who’s also on a quest to increase the representation of women of color in technology careers, by creating awareness, identifying the challenges and sharing strategies to address the issue. ⁣

Every week, I’ll chat with technology professionals who are women of colors, allies, recruiters, leaders and other like minded individuals. ⁣

Together we can bridge the gap and ensure that every woman of color in the field has the resources they need to succeed.
Feb 25, 202000:49