I’m on a mission to help women in tech not just survive, but thrive. What does that cliché catch-phrase mean, you ask?
Too many women working in tech – myself included – have found themselves struggling in their careers. Many of us lose that spark of excitement we initially had with our work, ultimately giving up on the idea of being happy at work or leaving the workforce.
Truth is, there just isn’t as much support designed to advance women in tech careers. Where many men grow up encouraged to be assertive, it can be hard for women to figure out how they can show up authentically and still progress in their careers.
Hi!
I offer coaching services to help women like you identify and embrace all the skills (not just the technical ones) that make you so incredible and a valuable asset to tech companies. You are highly qualified, capable, and deserving of your position and any role you want in the future. The sooner you believe that, the sooner your life will start to change for the better.
Right now, you might be thinking, “Oh Rachel – that’s easy to say, but knowing that doesn’t change anything.” I get it. I’ve been where you are and know how soul-crushing it can feel. It’s why I became a women in tech career coach. And I want to tell you that your story can have a happy ending. Take a read through mine, if you don’t believe it’s possible.
Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have a stubbornly passionate math teacher for a father who never met a problem he couldn’t solve, creatively or mathematically. He’s the reason I grew to love math. I found I loved the challenge of solving an “impossible” problem; of applying logic and creativity to find sneakily elegant solutions.
I graduated college from Earlham with a B.A. in mathematics, soon heading to grad school at Brandeis University. It was in grad school that I found my calling in web development and graduated with an M.A. in Computer Science.
And so I lived happily ever after… right?
Wrong. Out of grad school, I landed a great job as a software engineer in California. However, I soon found myself struggling with a crippling lack of self-confidence. No matter what I did, I never felt good enough (even though feedback said otherwise.) It felt like more assertive and confident coworkers were the “right way” to be. That just wasn’t me.
Alongside math, I’d always been strongly driven by people. My superpower: I could easily tell when someone was struggling, and could help them overcome their worries or obstacles to find solutions. But my soft skills felt… irrelevant, even discouraged at work.
Additionally – like many women – I was raised to believe that screwing up was a big deal. So coming into tech, where messing up is essential to being a good engineer, I felt very uncomfortable.
I struggled with intense identity confusion, anxiety, stress, and burnout. I even wondered about shifting careers…
I loved math and software engineering. So I could either give up or I could problem solve like my dad taught me. I reached out to a coach, and that’s when things started changing. We began identifying and dissolving the mindsets limiting beliefs I’d “learned” over time that were holding me back.
Soon after, I took my first steps as a professional coach for women in tech, completing over 100 hours of training with the Coactive Training Institute.
To succeed as a woman in tech, I needed to shift how I showed up for myself and rebuild my confidence and self-trust. And by doing that, I learned to lead from my authentic self in ways that benefited every part of my life and career.
It all started with believing in myself, and remembering that I am freaking fantastic at my job. Just like you are. You are pure magic – there’s nothing else to it.
I’ve lived it, and I know how hard this experience can be. But I want you to know it doesn’t have to be this way.
You can show up as your authentic self and thrive in your career goals.
You can go to sleep on Sundays not dreading the coming beep of your alarm clock, but excited for what tomorrow will bring.
You can learn to handle stress with ease and confidence.
You can have a career that thrills and fulfills you.
You deserve it. All of it.
If you’re looking for support as you learn to show up authentically and build a thriving, fulfilling career in tech – I’m just a click away.
My partner and I plan (often silly) romantic surprises for each other. Once he hid roses in the couch for me and pretended he lost his phone in the cushions to get me to find them.
Fun Fact
I'm a huge bookworm. I read ~30 books a year, mostly romance and young adult fiction.
Some of my favorites:
Fire by Kristin Cashore
The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Fun Fact
where I've been
Started Earlham College, planning to major in Psychology
Graduated from Earlham College with a B.A. in Mathematics
Completed a year of service with the Episcopal Service Corps
Graduated from Grad School at Brandeis with a M.A in Computer Science
Moved to California for my First Software Engineering Job!
Began mentoring women in tech & took my first steps as a professional coach
Promoted to
Senior Software Engineer!
I’ve mentored 30+ engineers and spent 100s of hours helping women in tech build their dream careers!
hop on a call!
Start showing up with confidence, motivation, and excitement for where your work and tech career can take you!