Index

Who puts the Live in Live Wire? The Association for Women in Computing (AWC). The 100-plus women who belong to this country-wide organization's National Capital Chapter helped this columnist find resources when Live Wire began, and continues to feed me great ideas. It's payback time. This month and next, Live Wire spotlights the computing professionals who are making it possible for women in the D.C. area to enter the field, learn from one another and build their careers. Monthly speakers, networking events, a mentoring program and plenty of outreach to local schools make the AWC-NCC a vital resource for women interested in any or all of what the field has to offer.

Curious about how the chapter's leaders got their start and why they find it interesting, I spoke with several members of the current and past boards of directors. In their words, I hope you'll find inspiration. Meet

These five women graciously told me their stories in recent interviews. Some got into the field after first careers: Andrews was a history teacher; Floy started, with her M.B.A., in accounting. Several got night-shift jobs in college computing centers, sometimes just for the money: and found they liked it. And not all have computer-related degrees, although they're eagerly picking up skill-based certifications and coursework. Here's more of what we discussed.

How did you get into the field? "I felt that it was a new field and therefore expanding," says Andrews, "so that newcomers would rise more rapidly. Also, because it was a non-traditional field for women, [I hoped that] women would be more easily recognized and advanced." "I worked as a plant controller for a computer manufacturing company," says Floy, "and moved from accounting to technology." Jane Lecher says, "I needed a job to support myself while going to college, and computer operations was the best-paid 'blue collar' work I could find." And Summers says that when she returned to college after raising five children, she got a job in the computer lab. "It sounded interesting," she says. "Since then, to me, computers have always meant empowerment."

What challenges have you faced as a woman in this industry? Summers looks back at her life and comments, "I think there were a lot of us kept out of the traditional, proper computing path from high school on: but we had drive and curiosity so that we refused to stop learning. The barriers [to women] have been up there and we get run off: but we refuse to stay run off."

Orwant, with three decades of experience, observes that "the money for women was not equal to pay for the men doing the same job, although it tended to even out in the 1980s." Andrews has been stung by a credibility gap. "Team members and sometimes managers," she says, "seem to believe that when a woman gives advice or provides information, they need to check it out with a resident male." And Floy thinks of something concrete: "The biggest unique challenge I can think of is taking huge equipment out of cardboard boxes.

She continues, "I eventually developed a scheme to flip the box over and lift the box off the equipment...usually leaving the nearby men standing in amazement."

Apart from tackling heavy metal, how do these women surmount the challenges to their authority? Lecher "just did my work and hoped for the best." Summers has relied on her "total stubbornness. If I were smart, I would have quit." Floy turns to "hard work" and Andrews cites "persistence. I keep giving advice and providing information and building a reputation that garners respect."

Once they break through professional barriers, what kinds of rewards have these women found in the computing industry? Surprisingly: especially to those intimidated by computers: the word "fun" echoes through their answers.

Floy defines fun, in this context, as something "challenging and always changing." She likes "the thrill of harnessing technology, the joy of mastering the tools of the future, and the pleasure of providing quality services to customers." She also likes "being judged on the quality of the technical results, rather than upon personality, looks or style."

A sense of service also underlies Andrews' enjoyment of her work. "I like the challenge of programming," she says, "and the opportunity to meet with users to help them work out their requirements." And Lecher stresses the curious simplicity: yes! -- of computers. Just listen: "I love computers, really love them," she gushes. "They're so logical. When something is broken, it can be found and fixed."

But the final comment: and compliment -- comes from this year's AWC-NCC chapter president, Pat Summers.

"I would have to use the 'F' word," she says with a chuckle. "It's fun. Computing is intellectually exciting. I'm always dreaming about better ways to do something. I have discovered people will pay me good money for something I love. I get the fun, I get the toys, I get to play in the sandbox, and I get good money for it."

So where do you sign up? In the next column, we'll learn more about the Association for Women in Computing, and hear some good advice about entering the field. In the meantime, you can learn more about the National Capital Chapter by calling 202-452-5557 or checking the Web site at http://www.awcncc.org