Ahead of our exciting Power UP launch event on the 11th February, we caught up with Holly Boothroyd – one of our panellists.
If you’d like to hear from you Holly and other great women, grab your ticket now.
When did you realise you wanted a career in technology?
Playing video games as a young girl with my dad sparked my interest in technology and inspired me to study computer science during high school. Heading into university and looking towards my future career, I knew that I wanted to have vast reach, a flexible and dynamic lifestyle, and make a positive impact on the world whilst constantly challenging myself to grow. Technology fit the bill, so I decided to study computer science with business at university and I am so happy I did!
What is it about being a software developer that you enjoy most?
I love that as a software engineer, I can create something from nothing that makes peoples’ lives more productive, creative, and fulfilling. It is very freeing and empowering to be able to create the change I wish to see in the world with little more than a laptop and a good internet connection.
Any good book or podcast recommendations for women in tech?
I read a lot of great books written by some seriously kickass women! Here are some of my favourites:
- Hello World: Being Human in the Age of the Machine, Hannah Fry
- Brave, Not Perfect, Reshma Saujani
- The Multi-Hyphen Method, Emma Gannon
- The Guilty Feminist, Deborah Frances-White
- Invisible Women, Caroline Criado Perez
About Holly Boothroyd
Holly is a Microsoft Software Engineer who has worked on multiple globally released products incl. Paint 3D and Xbox, and currently Cortana for Windows. She is also a public speaker on topics such as tech for good, imposter syndrome, technical interviews, and early-in-career success.
