Turning the tide in tech

Fall 2017 Edition
Alumni & Friends Magazine

Turning the tide in tech

The tech industry is male-dominated at best, and a chauvinist hub at worst. At least that’s what headlines churning about Silicon Valley would suggest.

Hailee Tavoian | October 12, 2017

“There's a bad stigma right now in tech,” says Andi Teggart, BSJ ’11, Facebook. “My friends and I feel very lucky to work at companies that embrace diversity.”

That’s not to say that Andi, Melanie, Sarah, Courtney, Ali, and Aimee—six recent OHIO alumnae working at companies like Lyft, Facebook, and Imgur—haven’t witnessed first-hand the challenges working women face.

And yet, these women aren’t merely surviving in spite of the gender gap. They’re thriving.

How? They consistently support one another—exchanging advice, encouragement, and reality checks—and here, they share five tips that have led them to success.

Melanie Goggins, BA ’12
• Regulatory compliance manager, Lyft
• Oprah fangirl
• Craves sunshine and cheese

Find a mentor.

“In every job, pick the person who you want to emulate…a woman, a man, an office dog,” says Melanie Goggins, BA ’12, Lyft. “Get close to that person, learn how they got to where they are, and express how you want to get there, too.”

For Courtney Baldasare, BSJ ’11, RSquared Communications, making connections with seasoned professionals and learning from their challenges and mistakes helps cultivate a progressive mindset.

“As women, we’re used to having to work so much harder for things that are just awarded (to men) in our industry,” she says. “I work at a company made up of very intelligent, strong, well-spoken, experienced women in this field. Because they’re open and willing to share their experiences, we learn from each other.”

Every member of the group agrees that she got to where she is today because a woman above her pulled her along, mentoring her along the way.

“A wonderful thing about the mentors I have had in this area is how resilient they are,” says Aimee Rancer, BSJ ’11, Pinterest. “Not every opportunity is going to work out. People in SF aren’t moping around feeling bad for themselves because their startup failed. They’re hustling on to the next thing. That’s super inspiring to be around.”

On the flip side, they feel a collective responsibility to pay it forward.

“It’s really important for those of us in successful positions, especially as women in tech, to be voices for other women who are trying to come in,” says Sarah Schaaf, BSC ’08, Imgur (founded by her brother and fellow Bobcat, Alan Schaaf, BSCS ’10).

Ali Mazzotta, BSJ ’12
• Product manager, Marketo
• Kale lover
• Cat mom and memelord

Seek personal growth.

“You have to be hungry to learn and want to be better,” says Ali Mazzotta, BSJ ’12, Marketo. “As young professionals, we need to be open to feedback and eager to pick up new skills.”

Early in her career, Melanie was eager to volunteer to help others with administrative tasks that fell outside her job description, until a female mentor pulled her aside.

“She told me to look at my male counterparts—they weren’t offering to do things for people that they could do for themselves and I shouldn’t either,” Melanie says. “Protecting your time professionally is a skill that is super important.”

If the line between constructive criticism and discrimination becomes blurred, Sarah suggests leaning on your support network to help separate truth from bias.

“All feedback is valuable, but it can be hard to discern what to take and what not to take on. It’s important to have a group of females in your same industry to bounce those things off of,” Sarah says.

Simply taking a step back to dissect a situation can make the difference between reactivity and proactivity.

“I’m a very passionate person, so I’ll write the angry email, but never press send,” Ali says. “I need that time to break down exactly what happened and cool off, then I can start to think about how to move forward in a positive way with that person.”

Often, the toughest critic is oneself. Aimee feels fortunate to have strong women around to validate and empower her.

“Andi is always reminding me to ‘feel the feelings’ and not compare myself to other people,” Aimee says. “It’s destructive behavior that so many women do, especially with the rise of social media. Comparison is the thief of joy.”

Aimee Rancer, BSJ ’11
• Creative strategist, Pinterest
• Fashion and lifestyle blogger
• Loves travel and French bulldogs

Call out gender bias.

“When I worked in government relations, it was pretty tough to be a woman working exclusively with men from other generations. I was very aware that they had different expectations of my behavior and capabilities,” Melanie says.

As a leader at Imgur, Sarah considers it her duty to pull employees aside and make them aware of verbal and non-verbal exchanges that cross into microaggression.

“You have to address it because people do it, and they don’t even realize that they are,” Sarah says. “Calling it out, in a respectful manner of course, is helpful to everyone involved.”

Hence the crew’s collective commitment to be a force of change, one uncomfortable-but-necessary conversation at a time.

“The best thing that we can do for future grads and women in our industry is to continue holding people accountable for the things that they do that may be unfair,” Courtney says.

In response to headlines about harassment across the industry, Sarah formed Ladies of Imgur, a support group that meets semi-regularly to discuss current industry issues and how the company can safeguard its inclusive values. Similar subgroups are forming in other tech companies, and these women are grateful for the power that comes from keeping an open dialogue.

“Growing up, I didn’t have much exposure to diversity,” Andi says. “The more I became aware of these types of issues, the more I learned about myself and I found that I have this love and openness within me.”

Sarah Schaaf, BSC ’08
• Vice president of community, Imgur
• Web mogul
• Connoisseur of Indian food

Stay true to Bobcat values.

OHIO instilled in these six alumnae more than just a commitment to inclusion.

“You have to work hard to play hard, which Bobcats do very well,” Ali says. “Everyone who I've met from OHIO is really fun, loving, and just a ball of energy, but they're also really dedicated to whatever they're passionate about.”

One passion all Bobcats seem to share is a love for alma mater.

“I can’t think of anyone else who loves their school and talks about it as much as we do,” Aimee says. “OHIO was the first place I felt like I was home away from home. It’s part of our identity.”

The Bobcat network is broad and diverse, yet incredibly personal. Wherever graduates find themselves, they always seem to find each other—and instinctively support their fellow members of the OHIO family.

“We look out for each other,” Andi says. “Anytime someone from OHIO reaches out to me online, I’ll do anything I can to help them out. I had a woman help connect me to my first job without ever meeting me, and that was just a Bobcat helping out another Bobcat, no questions asked.”

Courtney Baldasare, BSJ ’11
• Public relations account manager,
RSquared Communications
• Enjoys the outdoors
• Admires Dolly Parton

Take risks.

“Going into my freshman year at OHIO, I was really eager and excited, but also scared,” Aimee says. “Moving to San Francisco was the same way. You're testing your limits while figuring out who you are or who you want to be.”

Amid life transitions—whether job searching, moving, graduating, getting let go, earning promotions, or changing marital status—agility and work ethic are paramount to success.

“You have to learn to get scrappy,” Courtney says. “Education doesn’t always prepare you aptly for the real world; there are a lot of life skills that they just don’t teach in schools. You won’t get it right every single time, but it’s okay because everyone learns to navigate the world on their own.”

One by one, these OHIO women took a chance on an unfamiliar city. Together, they’ve discovered the gratification that comes from bounding into the unknown.

“A fellow blogger took me under her wing when I first got to San Francisco and I didn’t know anyone,” Andi says. “I showed up terrified with all my suitcases, and she told me, ‘Bravery and courage are always rewarded.’ I now have a wonderful life here. It’s true—when you do something for yourself and take a leap, really good things happen.”