We celebrate the International Women's day on the 8th March (International women's rights day, in few countries) but it's also important to remind that women are equal of men and it's essential to protect and respect their rights every days of the year but nowadays, women make up just 24% of the tech workforce, thus more and more women are encouraged to pursue careers in the tech industry. Initiatives such as Girls who Code and conferences such as European Women in Technology support this movement passionately.
And at Joomla, the trend is not much different. Because there is no fatality, we must do things in others ways and be more inclusive. In our community, some women are really amazing and I've decided to introduce you some of them. These women are so inspiring and so motivating. Really. Read their stories, their advices, their thoughts and you'll be convinced.
Because we need really each others, I do hope that these portraits will inspire others women to embrace a career in tech sector and/or to join the Joomla Community.
Women's portrait at Joomla: Anna Veronesi
What’s your name and your role at Joomla?
My name is Anna Veronesi and I’m a Joomla volunteer. I’ve helped the community during a couple of Joomla!Day Italy events in the past years.What excites you about your daily work?
I love when I can help my colleagues in removing the impediments to their work. Most of my daily routine is providing the right piece of information to the right people in order to find the best solution to customers and business problems or needs. It’s exciting to see how many technologies can be used and integrated to provide great experiences.What did you study?
I got a bachelor and master’s degree in oriental languages (Chinese) and many years later, I got a fulltime master in digital commerce.When did you start to think about pursuing a career in tech?
When I first had the chance to attend a free digital marketing/digital commerce course in 2015, I immediately understood that digital would have become my natural environment.What challenges are you facing as a woman working in tech?
I am a relatively “young” woman working (mostly) with old people in a company with complex workflows and a highly pyramidal structure. It is very hard to be considered as technically reliable. I’m gaining respect by recognizing my limits, by stating clearly when I don’t understand something and by learning small pieces of technical skills every day. I need to use a balanced mix between being humble and demonstrate I’m not stupid. It's a daily work, but in the last 3 years it brought me great results.What would your advice to women considering pursuing a career in tech be?
If tech is your passion, don’t be scared and don’t be shy. Study hard and continue to improve. Be curious. When others (especially men) put you in trouble, react firmly and politely.Are there any specific Book/Blogs/Apps you enjoy & recommend ?
As an agile and Scrum enthusiast, I recommend the whole scrum.org website as a source of inspiration to improve my behavior, both at work and in my private life. In addition, I strongly recommend the corporate-rebels.com blog, as another source of inspiration to modernize the concept of "leadership" and to improve the way we work.
Regarding apps/tools, I’m an enthusiast of the Atlassian suite, especially Jira and Confluence. I think that they are excellent tools to organize work, collect requirements, plan and track progresses, and are perfect if you work in an agile environment.
Who or what inspires you?
In my study and career path, I met some women with strong leadership attitude. They are my true inspiration. Women’s leadership attitude, when they don’t try to mimic men’s, is a perfect mix of competence, authoritativeness, respectfulness and care for people working with them. Those women (two professors, two professionals) inspire me to become a true leader tomorrow.What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love taking care of myself, because when I feel relaxed and healthy, my attitude towards everyone (friends, colleagues) is joyful. That’s why I have a (not so) small daily workout routine, with additional long walks when possible. I love reading, studying and learning new stuffs. When at home, I relax watching TV, knitting and cuddling my fat cat.3 tips you would give your younger self?
First tip: no fear, go and study engineering! (that’s my biggest regret, I hope to fill this gap in the next years)
Second tip: don’t listen to external people’s advices: if you believe in something, do it.
Third tip: always welcome changes, they bring improvements.
