NCWIT AiC Visit to iStrategy Labs

Yesterday, fellow NCWIT Aspirations winners, Jordan Newton, Charell Valencia, and I (Jackie Lasky) were invited to iStrategy Lab’s office in Dupoint Circle, Washington D.C. to tour their high-tech facility. Surprisingly, a little over 40% of their company’s team happens to be women, which made the visit a very welcoming one at that.

The walls of their office varied from abstract contemporary paintings and colorful wall-white boards to other mediums of art and innovation. The casualness of their office produced a comfortable atmosphere, allowing employees to accomplish their work on a couch while brewing coffee in their well-equipped, vibrant kitchen or printing a mug through their 3D printer. They introduced us to their diverse team whose professions ranged from web developers to photographers, engineers, marketing professionals, film coordinators, and other innovative strategists. The diversity in their employees really allowed iStrategy Labs to stand out as a company within the technology industry. They are one of the first companies I have seen that encourages working alongside professionals from opposite spectrums and different specializations to achieve the same goal. Though they all possess different strengths, they allow the company’s project goals to unite them.

They encouraged all of us in our studies, especially as young women pursuing a STEM degree, to never allow the stereotypes against women to prevent us from getting to where we want to be professionally in life. They shared many of their own personal trials and successes, offering much insight on the significance of community, mentorship, and networking within pursuing our aspirations in computing. Overall the experience was very encouraging and unique.