About Renee
I like figuring out what could work better.
Then I learn what is needed, bring people together, and get to work.
G'day, I'm Renee.
I'm a technologist, educator, speaker, and community organiser based in Sydney, Australia.
However, I did not grow up coding.
By happenstance, I learnt to code at university at 11pm one night, spurred on by some friends who thought that teaching me to code would be fun.
That turned out to be the missing piece that as the application of the things I loved about maths and science, but now done with a new superpower I could do that on my regular old laptop!
Starting later than many of the people around me was intimidating. It also showed me how much difference one approachable experience and a few supportive people can make.
Technology is about people and their problems
Knowing the technical material matters, but good technology is not made by technical knowledge alone. It takes people who can understand their stakeholders, explain what they know, say when they need help, and work across different fields.
The people in the room also shape which problems are noticed and which solutions are built. If we want technology that works for more people, we need teams that represent more of them.
Access is only the beginning
A first coding experience can open a door, but people also need somewhere to go next. They need peers, mentors, chances to practise, and workplaces where they can contribute without having to prove every day that they deserve to be there.
That is why I care about the full pipeline. At Girls' Programming Network, students learn alongside people who look like them. They can return as volunteers, then take on teaching, event, and leadership roles of their own. The volunteers are learning and building confidence too.
Make room for someone else to have a go
Some of my most important opportunities came before I felt completely qualified for them. Someone trusted me, gave me a push, and stayed close enough that I could ask for help.
I want to create more of those moments for other people. That might mean helping someone teach their first lesson, lead a room, speak at an event, or take responsibility for a program. Sharing the work is not just about getting more done. It gives more people the experience they need to lead.
Where I put that into practice
I work across industry, education, and community because each one changes what is possible in the others.
- At Microsoft Frontier Company, I lead forward-deployed engineering teams working with major customers across Australia and New Zealand.
- Through Girls' Programming Network and Tech Inclusion, I help create free learning, mentoring, and leadership opportunities for girls, women, and gender-diverse people.
- Through ConnectEd Code, I bring coding together with context, community, and curriculum.
- With Sydney Python, I help make space for Python enthusiasts of all abilities to meet and share what they know.
- As a speaker and educator, I give people somewhere to start, something to try next, and a safe space to connect the dots for themselves.