Hello, I'm Bobby!
MY STORY
I grew up around computers. My parents met at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio where they were both programmers. It was a big deal that my mom was a programmer in 1968. There weren’t a lot of women breaking into that field. She talked her way into an interview where she had to pass a test and surprised the manager by landing the job. My father could build computers. I remember computer parts and IBM boxes all over the house. There were tools, soldering irons, and floppies everywhere. He bought me my first "mobile" computer –an Otrona Attache. It was in a big, heavy briefcase I could hardly drag around. But I learned enough BASIC to make a green line draw itself across the screen and I was hooked.
In the sixth grade, we were given an assignment to draw our future life. While everyone was drawing themselves with their husbands or wives and their perfect house, I drew a big building with a room for each of my interests. There was a computer room full of computers. One had a piano. One was an art studio. One room was filled with many animals. Another was filled with lots of friends. The animals and friends were going to be my family.
My career path pulled from these rooms. I started by traveling the country photographing and interviewing lesbians who were living with creativity at the center of their live. Then, I worked at a photo lab for awhile. I was plucked from there for a development job, because I was good with people. Through several development positions, I built databases and enhanced the use of technology in the workplace.
These skills landed me a job at the Berkeley Lab where they eventually created a new position for me as a Training Specialist. From there, Instructional Design jobs seemed to be the next natural step. I am good with people, computers, and teaching. When COVID hit we had to move all of our in-person art and design courses online. I helped over 500 instructors learn how to use web-based technologies in order to teach online.
In that process, I realized what it is I truly love – helping people develop their digital fluency. I believe everyone can learn online technologies and computer skills like they learn a language. It’s a challenging language because while most languages change slowly over time, the language of technology changes very fast. It’s more important than ever to learn how to learn so that the technology stays familiar. Then, you can take on what’s new when you need it and let the rest fall to the background. I can help you do this so that you can center your focus on your business/projects/creative endeavors without struggling with the technologies that support them.
Come join me in the computer room.
