Women in Technology I Admire
03-24-09
By way of the AWESOME Marilyn Pratt – Happy Ada Lovelace Day.
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By the way, for those of you, who like myself, weren’t sure who Ada is, Suw Charman-Anderson explains: ;
“Ada Lovelace was one of the world’s first computer programmers, and one of the first people to see computers as more than just a machine for doing sums. She wrote programmes for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, a general-purpose computing machine, despite the fact that it was never built.”;
Now as a value-add in my job as an SAP Community Evangelist, I have the privilege of knowing some of the smartest techies on the planet. So my first and seemingly only challenge in role models was finding “A” woman… as in limiting myself to a single role model.
I found that approach a tiny bit…well…limiting. And soon realized rather than to try to name every remarkable woman in Technology I know or know of, I could introduce people outside my SAP Community Network and perhaps even inside that community, to some of the women of the community I admire. So I’ll name just a few (okay, now second huge challenge that few limitation) of my local heroines and by linking you to their blogs, tweets, or wiki profiles allow you all the pleasure of discovery or perhaps further introduction.
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Now Marilyn has done her part as have many others so I decided I should do my part as well, I mean I studied all about Ada, Grace and many others in school and as a child learning about computers and programming so I think it’s my turn to write about someone in Technology I admire.
That person would be (she’ll fall out of her chair I think right about now) Marilyn Pratt!
I’ve known Marilyn now for several years and we have worked together to herd, grow, nurture and protect the SAP Communities. We’ve had our ins and outs and blow ups and explosions but the bottom line was that we always look out for each other and so it’s my honor and pleasure to tell the world that today above all other days I admire Marilyn the most.
She’s she’s a mother, a grandmother, a photographer, an activist,a worker and a rebel. She knows how to get into the thick of it, in a room dominated by geeks and not only get them to listen but to interact. She doesn’t talk about this aspect but many members in our community actually where taught ABAP by her.
Since I have known her she’s run the gauntlet of events to spread the word of the things that matter to her, she helped bring about an entire certification program around BPX, she traveled through Cambodia and visited those in need. She’s helped build (by this I mean almost single handily) an entire community of solid content generators for BPX.
I still “cringe” although with a smile when she says “Hey I’m a granni and not so fast”, yet she always manages to get it!
Marilyn, I admire you and I hope you have a fantastic day!
Tags: admire, respect, technology, women
Lippstadt, Germany