Whitney Johnson

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Kimberly Bryant, Founder of Black Girls Code (BGC), a non-profit dedicated to teaching girls of color coding skills.

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?

The pivotal moment of reinvention for me occurred in March 2011 while attending a Berkeley Women Entrepreneurs Conference. During a session with some of the top female founders of Indiegogo, BlogHer and others a discussion question arose from the attendees around the lack of women in the technology field. Many of the observations from the attendees revolved around the lack of available women in the resource pool and the dwindling pipeline of women and women of color in STEM fields such as technology. I realized at this moment if this problem were to be solved I must personally do something about it.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

I’ve had many informal mentors throughout my career both before I started on my non-profit organization. I would say more so than anything there are certainly some very inspiring role models that I look up to for inspiration as I build my business, some of whom I’ve received advice from along my journey. These include women such Kathryn Finney of Digital Undivided, Telle Whitney of Anita Borg Institute, and Kelly Hoey of Women Innovate Mobile.

3. What is your biggest goal right now?

My biggest goal is to create a sustainable business model for my non-profit organization, Black Girls CODE, which will allow us to continue to grow and reach girls around the world. Our goal is to reach 1 million girls by the year 2040 and to see our program teach girls around the world to code.

4. What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning.

I am NOT a morning person. I tend to wake up between 8-9am if I don’t have early meetings or calls on the east coast. I tend to start my morning with meditation or prayer and a review of my goals for the day. If I’m feeling cheeky I try to catch one of the morning shows with a cup of coffee, then I’m ready to go conquer the world!

5. How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?

My release is music. I played three instruments as a kid, drums, piano, and saxophone and I love jazz, r&b, and classical music. When I really want to relax or when I’m in deep concentration mode on a major project I put on my headphones and listen to a favorite playlist.

6. What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?

20+ years later I’m most proud of graduating from Vanderbilt University School of Engineering with my BS in Electrical Engineering. The four years I spent in undergrad as one of only a handful of women in the school of engineering were some of the most difficult and challenging years of my life. It took an incredible amount of grit and determination and a healthy dose of prayer to navigate the difficult waters of being a female in a non-diverse field dominated by men. I still remember walking across the stage to receive my diploma vividly and it was truly a euphoric experience for me.

7. What was the last business book you read?

The last “business” book I read was David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. Many of the scenarios in the book resonated with me as a small startup founder building a global business against sometimes much greater odds. It’s shown me that with skill and strategy, even David’s can conquer a giant.

8. What cause do you most want to advance?

I am most passionate about increasing the number of women and girls of color in the field of technology. I am dedicated to “changing the face of technology” and seeding the tech pipeline with the girls from the younger generation who will be come to tech leaders and creators of the future.

9. What is the best piece of advice you ever received?

Follow your passion. Do what you love and love what you do.

10. What is your secret indulgence?

A good pair of pumps (preferably Jimmy Choos). I’m a recovering shoe-holic. I truly love to buy shoes and love a good quality pair of heels any day over a pair of sneakers.

Check out Kimberly Bryant’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

 

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Beezer Clarkson, Managing Director at Sapphire Ventures, a venture capital firm that specializes in helping innovative technology companies become global category-defining leaders.

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?

I have always wanted to help change the world for the better. I have reinvented my career multiple times from investment banking to management consulting to working in Silicon Valley at a global technology firm to venture capital exploring different aspects of how to help create positive change.  Along the way I have also welcomed the unconventional in my career, which reflected my desire to take on new challenges, explore alternative answers to existing problems and work at the intersection of different, discrete disciplines.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

My husband

3. What is your biggest goal right now?

Building my firm, SAP Ventures, so that we can invest in and support entrepreneurs globally.

4. How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?

My first job was a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley in New York City. I got it by applying through the career center at my university, Wesleyan University along with great coaching from folks there and my fantastic, older sister. I knew after that I wanted to move out to San Francisco and be a strategy consultant so applied to a few select firms and moved west.

5. How did you feel on your 30th birthday? What were you doing at that time? 

Very very lucky. I was living in my favorite city, San Francisco, with my then boyfriend, now husband, surrounded by friends and working at a job with a great mentor.

6. How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?

One of my favorite ways to unplug is to be silly with my son, who is 6, and husband. Another favorite way is to go scuba diving. My son’s favorite time to be silly is just before bedtime naturally. Finding time to go scuba diving is far more challenging.

7. What’s the best networking contact you’ve made? How did you make it?

In 1999 I had the great fortune of being an intern for Ellen Levy who ran corporate development at a startup that made a handheld reader, a precursor of sorts to the iPad or Kindle before going on to become an advisor and executive at LinkedIn. Knowing Ellen changed the course of my career and arguably my life. She gave me a shot – giving me my first technology job in Silicon Valley when I didn’t know a microchip from a paperclip. She has had my back for the last 15 years introducing me to amazing people who have helped me, advanced my career and have become great friends.

8. What was the last business book you read? 

The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz

9. What is your “keep me going” quote?

“What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”

10. What is your secret indulgence? 

Finding cool eyeglasses

Check out Beezer Clarkson’s full 40 Over 40 profile here!

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Sally Bergesen, CEO and Founder of Oiselle, a designer and manufacturer of women’s running clothes that fit, flatter and perform.

1. What was a pivotal momentum of reinvention for you?
When I picked up running, I put down a lot of unhealthy behavior. And while it didn’t immediately lead me to my calling — becoming a designer and CEO of an apparel business — it put me on the path. In many ways running IS a pivotal moment of reinvention. It’s a pure act of physical and emotional effort that has the power to permeate all of life.

2. Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?
That would have to be my first design agency boss, Ted Leonhardt. Long ago, I was hired to be his assistant. But fortunately for me, he didn’t want a traditional assistant – and I didn’t want to be one! I was ambitious, and wanted to do big things in brand strategy and design, but I also had zero experience. I will always be grateful for the fact that he said yes and didn’t box me in.

3. What is one thing that most matters to you professionally?
Design excellence, industry innovation, community building. Okay that’s three! Obsessive product quality will always be Oiselle’s top goal. But pushing for positive change for pro women athletes in an industry that is at times exploitative is also right up there. And continuing to connect with, and be inspired by, our friends, family, and customers always fuels what we do.

4. How did you get your first and second jobs?
First big job: after realizing I would suffer “death by a thousand paper cuts” if I became a lawyer, I flailed around – and just happened to find my dream job and industry in design. I now think flailing is the prelude to discovery. My second job was quitting the first – and going out on my own. It was 2001, and immediately after leaving my secure job, we also bought a house and then 9/11 happened. Making my first business successful during terrible economic conditions forced me to become resilient and scrappy – and actually set me up to handle the 2008 decline.

5. How do you unplug?
The plugs are gone. It’s very difficult. I am the first to admit I have a smartphone addiction. But more and more I try to be thoughtful about context…it’s fine to work the phone when you’re in line at the post office, but out to dinner with friends? Not so much. Running is the best solution of all. I’m a purist in that I prefer to run without a phone, music, and many times. even a watch. Just run and move and be completely free. That sentiment is actually the meaning behind Oiselle…French for bird, it’s about that precious time of freedom, the feeling of flight.

6. What was the last business book you read?
I read David & Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. I bought it because we were dueling with a large competitor in our industry, and I really relished the message. One of the points that stuck with me is that a common characteristics of innovators (i.e., Davids that unseat Goliaths) is that they’re not overly concerned with being agreeable. In other words, “let’s just make nice” and be a pleaser is fine in some instances, but if there are things you really want to change, you have to be willing to provoke — even if it’s just provoking people to take a closer look at the issues.

7. What cause do you most want to advance?
We have a partnership with Every Mother Counts, founded by Christy Turlington Burns. It’s a maternal health advocacy group that works to improve pregnancy and childbirth for all women. Improving the health of women, plain and simple, improves the health of the world. Women equals families equals future generations. It’s been an honor to join with them — and spread the message through running, which is a very apt metaphor for what stands between women and good healthcare. In many parts of the world, women have to walk up to 3 miles to get the medical support they need to stay alive themselves, and deliver healthy babies.

8. Who do I want to meet from the list? Alissa Johnson of the White House – just to talk to someone in such a unique world; and Katie Orenstein of the Op Ed Project…hello? When I was reading the list, I spotted her…we went to high school together! Let’s hear it for Berkeley High, Class of ’86.

You can follow Sally on Twitter at @oiselle_sally or on Tumblr at @sallybergesen.

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Dr. Alissa Johnson, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Executive Office of the President/White House.

1.  What was a pivotal moment of reinvention for you?

The iPhone.  It changed the way I live, and how I manage data.

2.  Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

Emma Garrison-Alexander, former Transportation Security Administration CIO.

3.  What is your biggest goal right now?

Continue to improve government technology and to work with transformational CIOs in order to embrace the next generation of government technology.  

4.  What time do you typically wake up?  What do you do every morning?

I set my alarm at 6:45 every morning, and snooze every 9 minutes until 7:03 am.  As I get ready, I skim the news highlights that are in my inbox and get on twitter to see what the 140 character snippets are for the day.

5.  What challenge / achievement are you most proud of?

Being responsible for the White House technology services, as Deputy CIO.

6.  What was the last business book you read?

Leading the Epic Revolution:  How CIOs Drive Innovation and Create Value Across the Enterprise by Hunter Muller

7.  What is the best piece of advice you ever received?  

I am a huge Judge Judy fan!  “Beauty fades, dumb is forever.”  Hence the PhD.

8.  What is your “keep me going” quote?

“The powerful play goes on and you must contribute a verse.  What will your verse be?” – Dead Poets’ Society

9.  What is your secret indulgence?

Starburst Crazy Beans

10.  Who on the list of 2013 Honorees would you like to meet?

Michelle McKenna-Doyle, CIO of the NFL

Welcome to the Forty Over 40 blog. Every week we spotlight one of our honorees and their thoughts on reinvention, mentorship and momentum…plus a peek into what makes them tick.

This week’s Q & A is with Dr. Joanne Kamens, Executive Director of Addgene, a scientific non-profit to accelerate research and discovery.

1.  What was a pivotal moment of reinvention for you?

12 years ago while working in pharma, I realized that I had been at meetings all week and not sat in one meeting with a single other woman. I spent my life being treated equitably by parents, teachers, mentors and bosses, but in one realization, I woke up to what was happening to Women in Science. The pipeline was not leaking, it was gushing. Since then I have dedicated time to working on diversity in science and in the workplace for all underrepresented groups.

2.  Who has been a valuable mentor or sponsor?

I have had so many mentors I couldn’t name just one. I have a posse of mentors who offer advice, connections and sponsorship whenever I need them. Right now I would say I learn a lot on a daily basis from the founders and leaders at my nonprofit company, Addgene. They keep me on my toes.

3.  What is your biggest goal right now?

Addgene has a unique culture of respect, diversity, professionalism and initiative. Right now I am focused on helping Addgene grow without losing the cultural advantages we enjoy as a mission driven nonprofit.

4.  How did you get your first job? How did you jump to your second job?

Connections, connections. My grad school advisor had connections in biotech and pharma and helped me get a few interviews–one turned into an offer at a company at which I enjoyed working and learning for 15 years. The second job came to me via a colleague. While having lunch, I told him I might be ready to make a change. He suggested I join his new start-up as Director of Research. I started at the biotech 4 weeks later.

5.  What time do you typically wake up? What do you do every morning?

I get up at 5:35 most mornings and head to the gym. I like to be at work before most people arrive to have a chance to spend a little time on a tough project and get organized before the day. Then I read my email—who doesn’t?

6.  How did you feel on your 30th birthday? What were you doing at that time?

I felt great. I had just given birth to my second precious child. She was my best birthday present ever. I was working with a great group of scientists in pharma. We worked together to make sure we could all make progress at work and at home so I was enjoying success in both spheres.

7.  How do you unplug? How often do you unplug?

I am an observant, orthodox Jew so for my entire life, along with my family, I have kept the Jewish Sabbath for 25 hours each week. From Friday sundown to Saturday sundown each week, I do not use any telephones, computers, or travel any way except by foot. We enjoy leisurely meals, take walks, socialize with friends, play board games and read books. I don’t know how people who don’t take a day to unplug manage to resist smartphone addiction and spend quality time with their loved ones.

8.  What was the last business book you read?

I am reading The High-Velocity Edge by Steven Spear. I am thinking of doing some team building programs with my Management Team based on some of the principles in this book.

9.  What cause do you most want to advance?

I dedicate most of my free time to helping advance the cause of diversity and equal opportunity in science especially for women. A scientist has to be a scientist to be happy. We need to make the most of our talent and make sure all scientists can access diverse careers in which they will succeed and be able to contribute.

10.  What song can’t you get out of your head?

I keep listening to Ho Hey by the Lumineers in my car in the morning. It makes me happy and seems to complement my beautiful drive along the Charles River.