November 7, 2022
This academic year, Rensselaer’s Information Technology and Web Science Program (ITWS) will host a series of panel discussions on Women in Tech. Students will learn from successful alumnae about what it takes to succeed in a male-dominated industry.
The first event, RPI and Beyond: Transitioning from College to the Real World, is 4:30-6 p.m. on November 8. Learn about transitioning into the tech workforce, discovering your unique interests, finding mentors, balancing work and personal time, and more. Panelists include Holly Loomer ’16, Kayla Cinnamon ’18, Madi Vastare ’16, and Kat Lopez ’21.
Loomer is a Supply Chain Technology Logistics Product Lead at Johnson & Johnson. She manages product roadmaps and development teams to enhance digital solutions supporting sales or ensuring safety of products. Loomer also serves as a University Recruiting Lead and has a passion for fostering emerging health care technology leaders. She earned a bachelor’s in ITWS with a concentration in Management Information Systems.
Cinnamon is a Product Manager 2 at Microsoft. Previously, she was Program Manager of Windows Terminal, which now ships in Windows and just became the default console experience. Cinnamon graduated with a bachelor’s in ITWS with a concentration in Cognitive Science and a minor in Human Computer Interaction. Cinnamon then earned her Master’s in IT with a concentration in Human Computer Interaction.
Vastare is a Product Manager at Google, focusing on data science and engineering. At Google, Vastare also volunteers with the CS First Program, which introduces primary school children across the country to the world of computer science. She earned a bachelor’s in ITWS with a concentration in Web Science.
Finally, Lopez is a Full-Stack Developer and UI/UX Designer for IBM Security. Lopez earned a bachelor’s in ITWS with a concentration in Management Information Systems. She then graduated with a master’s in IT with a concentration in Web Science. After her freshman year, Lopez interned at an asset management firm working on their Salesforce implementation. At RPI, Lopez was the President of Science Ambassadors, through which she visited local schools.
“I am excited for ITWS students to have this opportunity to learn from and network with Rensselaer alumnae,” said Jeanne Luker, student services coordinator in ITWS. “ITWS majors present vast career possibilities. The future is bright for women in tech!”
The next Women in Tech events will be Know Your Value: Empowering Women in a Predominantly Male Industry on February 7, 2023 and Leadership and Networking on April 4.