Black Women In Tech | Hosted By Erica Cooper

Black Women In Tech | Hosted By Erica Cooper About Erica Cooper: Erica Cooper is a Domain Technical Leader at Cisco Systems based in the Washington DC metropolitan area, where she provides technical solutions for various government and non-government customers. The technologies that she focuses on are DataCenter, SDN, Cloud, Virtualization, and Security. She graduated from Keller Graduate School of Management (MS.Telecommunications and Business) and she also has a bachelor of science in Electrical Engineering. She holds several industry certifications including the following: - CCIE Data Center - CCNP Routing and Switching - VCP- NV Network Virtualization - Cisco DevNet Associates - Cisco DevNet Specialists In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with family, watching and participating in sports, and listening to EDM/House music. Contact Erica: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TechLayDee About Teri Green: Transformational Chief Information Officer / Chief Information Security Officer with 14+ years of experience in the areas of telecommunications, educational institutions, and technology services. Adept at extensive data analytics and data security. Committed to leading a team of efficient IT workers and keeping up to date on modern technologies. Proven success in leadership, operational excellence, and organizational development with a keen understanding of elements of agile business strategies to transform growth and recognized for inspiring management team members to excel and encouraging creative work environments. Contact Teri: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terigreen/ About Deena McKay: Deena McKay is the Creator and Host of the podcast, Black Tech Unplugged. Black Tech Unplugged is a monthly podcast that highlights Blacks who innovate and work in the tech industry. Deena started Black Tech Unplugged as a way for Blacks to see people who looked like them in the tech industry. She also wanted to share tips and advice for those trying to get into the industry. Additionally, Deena works as a Functional Delivery Lead. In her role she acts as a thoughtful problem solver who learns and understands her client’s business and works with her team to bring the client’s vision to life. Contact Denna: Instagram: Instagram.com/deena_mckay and instagram.com/blacktechunplugged Facebook: Facebook.com/blacktechunplugged Twitter: twitter.com/deena_mckay and twitter.com/blktechunplged LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/deenamckay About Teneyia Wilson: Teneyia Wilson is a Network Engineer for a 911 dispatch center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems as well as multiple networking certifications including Net+, CCNA, and CCNP. Throughout her career she's worked with route/switch, security, and service provider technologies supporting a Fortune 500 company and the public sector. Known around her community as the master multitasker, it's impressive that she is currently studying for her CCIE Enterprise lab while working full time, homeschooling 4 kids, and traveling while living the Military life. When she's not studying, schooling, or working, Teneyia likes to go to sports car events and competing in bodybuilding shows. Contact Teneyia: Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeneyiaW LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teneyia-wilson/ --------- Contents of this interview -------- 00:00 - Interview starts 00:40 - Erica's Introduction 01:33 - Deena's introduction 04:07 - Teneyia's introduction 05:12 - Teri's introduction 07:09 - How do you deal with situations where you're the only black woman in the room? How do you overcome that? 16:08 - Have you ladies had to deal with that, where you have people question why you are there? How do you overcome that? 25:16 - Can you ladies tell me a time when you have had to when you interviewed for a company and it didn't seem like a good fit? 28:01 - What is your criteria for identifying if a company is a good fit for you, to figure out if you want to go with that company? 30:19 - Would anyone work for a company where you are the first black person, would you work there? 33:23 - If you don't see black women or black people in the space, dod you get thrown off? 44:17 - What is keeping you ladies in technology? 47:06 - Do you believe in the power of mentorship and sponsorship? How do you go about getting a mentor or someone to sponsor you? 54:18 - What's your worst experience when it came to sponsorship? What's that one situation that sticks to you the most? 01:03:53 - Would you say that you learn positively to continue to do it or would you say never again? 01:10:05 - Have you ever said no to mentoring someone? How do you choose who you mentor? 01:12:19 - When you're in meetings, do you have ever talk over you or interrupt you? What do you say to mitigate that? 01:16:39 - Any position or managers ever had to make you not be yourself in the office? 01:26:32 - How do you stay mentally sane? 01:36:16 - Outro #LabEveryday #BlackWomenInTech #EricaCooper