Q: How did you get to where you are today in your career?

A: I did not plan to get here. My father worked in IT in the ’90s and ’00s (Y2K Safe!), and like many rebellious youth, I didn’t want anything to do with it. Instead, I just kept pursuing opportunities that seemed like they would be interesting and engaging, and here I am. I didn’t want to stagnate, so taking on opportunities that sounded interesting, and challenging, with a little bit of risk got me here.

Q: What do you do in your free time?

A: I enjoy painting, board games, my pets, hiking, and hanging out with my siblings.

Q: What advice would you give to professionals in your field?

A: Do your best to continue learning. Take notes when you hear something for the first time and try to spend some time diving further into it. I don’t think it’s possible to be an expert in everything, but having the ability to listen and ingest new information is invaluable. I think if you do that, it will make you stronger overall, plus you may find some new exciting career path out of it.

Q: What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve learned while working in IT?

A: The absolute mind-blowing amount of data that flows through even the tiniest bits of an organization. You have an idea on the outside that there is a lot of data stored and transmitted, but the full scope of it is just… a lot.

Q: What’s the most unusual or interesting tech problem you’ve ever had to solve?

A: I very purposefully do not solve tech problems, but now and again I’ll enter WiFi passwords into a printer that can’t print and I’ll be a hero for a day.

Q: What is your favorite tech tool or trend you’d recommend to everyone?

A: Any kind of password manager. Get one. Immediately.

Q: What’s your go-to tech gadget or app that you can’t live without?

A: My iPhone and Apple watch. They are the dream team that keeps me organized and scheduled throughout the day.

Q: If you weren’t working in IT, what alternative career path would you have pursued?

A: A painter. I paint a lot.