STEM Advocate Rebecca Garcia Of GeekGirlWeb

The glass ceiling shatters as Rebecca Garcia trailblazes into the tech scene with Geek Girl Web, a space to share resources on learning how to code. As a female minority, she has become an advocate for STEM education and technology. Her story is nothing less than extraordinary, teaching herself to code at the young age of 14 at MIT’s iD Tech Camps and now passing on the knowledge to underrepresented groups, especially youth and women.

Rebecca’s Resume

Rebecca Garcia is the co founder of CoderDojo NYC, a nonprofit that teaches web, game, and app development to youth ages 7-17. Started in 2012, it has now grown to educate over 1,200 families across the Greater New York City area. She is a mentor for web development fundamentals in HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Scratch. Creating a fun and collaborative environment for the youth, it provides an environment to explore STEM. CoderDojo NYC is proud of the ethnic diversity and 50:50 male to female ratio learning about technology together in one space. Her influence in the tech scene was recognized at The White House, where she was awarded as a U.S. White House ‘Champion of Change’ for Tech Inclusion in 2013.

Her Experiences

With an extensive list of experience, Rebecca has dipped her toes in various projects that empower those around her. Currently, she holds a position at Microsoft in their New York City office as a Technical Program Manager. That is no surprise given the skills she acquired over the years. She was a developer at Do Something, a nonprofit focused on motivating the youth to take action around social change. As a CTO of Greatist, a health, fitness and wellness media startup, she managed technical aspects from website to app development. Rebecca was also a Developer Evangelist at Squarespace, where she empowered people to build their ideas on the web. As a young woman, she is making a name for herself in a male dominated industry.

Her Social Life

Rebecca Garcia is a first generation American of Mexican, Filipino and Japanese descent. Looking at her petite frame and bright smile, don’t be surprised to find that she is an avid gamer, and unapologetically so. She is not only a ‘Champion of Change’, but also a Champion in League of Legends. Rebecca is also a lover of Earl Grey Tea and occasional salsa dancer. Take a glance at her Instagram and you will see her adventures and dedication to training for a triathlon. As an influencer in technology, she engages to her audience on Twitter frequently, talking about about topics from the food in New York City to events that she is currently attending.

Achievements & Awards

Traveling the world speaking about the importance of STEM education, Rebecca has gained recognition from America to the bustling city of Tokyo. She has won a long list of awards including Glamour Magazine’s ‘Top 35 Women Under 35 Who are Changing the Tech Industry’, 2015 as one of AskMen’s ‘Top 99 Outstanding Women’, and as Hispanicize’s STEM Star in 2016. Rebecca is often invited to speak at conferences like The Fearless Conference in Philadelphia,  LOFT Coder Summit at Columbia University, Girls Who Code in New York City, and WebTech Conference in Germany to name a few. With passion and determination in her voice, she wows crowds around the world with her intelligence.

There is no stopping Rebecca Garcia as she continues to educate others about the importance of STEM. As a woman in the tech industry, she is breaking down barriers by encouraging women to be a part of the movement. While there is growth, there is much to be improved. The work that Rebecca is doing is impacting the lives of minorities, youth, and women around the world. She is an inspiration with a powerful voice, and is a must-see if she is in your city.