Philly Tech Week Career Changers Panel and Happy Hour

Come learn about the experiences of four GDI members who went on to make successful career changes into technology. They'll share methods, insights, and advice to help you plan your own transition into tech. Then, stay for a happy hour to mingle with our panelists and meet fellow aspiring career changers and GDI members.

GDI is gender inclusive and open to all who would like to join. We hope to see you there!

Meet our fantastic career changer panelists!

Amy Cliett @_chaseAmy

Amy has an extensive background in corporate operations management. In 2014, Amy made the bold choice to leave the corporate world, pursue a career in tech, and become a self-taught freelance web developer. Since then, Amy has volunteered and worked throughout the US as a passionate hacktivist in the tech inclusion and diversity in STEAM fields movement. As National Outreach Manager at TechGirlz, Amy is helping to inspire middle school girls to explore the possibilities of technology to empower their future careers.

Michelle Colón @MichelleWebDev

Michelle Colón is currently a Web Developer at PHMC. Previously, she worked in Human Resources but had aspirations to code for a living. She got involved with GDI and went to every class and local event she could, which helped her forge a path toward a job in web development. Please don't be shy about asking her questions- she's also happy to help, post-panel!

Kristen Gallagher

@Philovedelphia

Kristen is a UX Specialist at Elsevier where she works with a team to design Nursing Education software. Previously she worked as an addiction/ mental health counselor and later, in nonprofit development for Philadelphia's largest AIDS service organization. She is very passionate about learning from and contributing to the Philadelphia Tech community.

Laura Oxenfeld @LOXtalks

Laura is a UX and Business Analyst at Delphic Digital. Before that, she spearheaded technical writing, UX research design at a bootstrapped health IT startup. Her background is in qualitative research in technology. Laura is an enthusiastic evangelist for the Philadelphia tech community, and is a teaching assistant for Girl Develop It, and a former board member of PhillyCHI. In 2017 she aims to give talks in the tech community, especially about how volunteering kick-started her career in UX as a way to encourage other people to get involved.