Janice Levenhagen-Seeley

Janice Levenhagen-Seeley

Founder


ChickTech

Portland, OR USA


I want my daughter to be able to say, 'I can be girly, giggly, funny, and silly, and still be hella smart, make whatever I want to make, and totally compete in this field,' whatever field it may be.

Videos

By Roadtrip Nation

Janice Levenhagen-Seeley

Milestones

My road in life took a while to figure out.
As a teenager, she experienced discrimination against women firsthand-got pregnant at 16 and felt like people started rooting against her.
No one expected her to graduate from high school, but she actually worked really hard to make sure she'd get good scholarships.
Went to Oregon State University, studied computer engineering with minors in French, business, and computer science.
After she graduated, she had impostor syndrome-had the feeling that no matter how well she did, she wasn't good enough.
Applying to jobs and going to interviews terrified her, gave her panic attacks because she felt like she was a "fraud."
At the same time, she had two offers pulled after they found out she was pregnant with her daughter.
Instead of conforming to these big companies, she started her own company-ChickTech.
ChickTech shows high school girls that you can own your femininity and still get an awesome job in the tech industry.
Keep following my journey

Career

Founder

I create a national community of support for women and girls in technology.

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Engineering
Non-Profit Organizations
Teaching / Mentoring

Day to Day

At ChickTech, we bring in about 100 girls that have been nominated by their teachers because they have the aptitude and interest in technology, but might be lacking the opportunities to get involved. I provide them the opportunity to feel like they belong. I also host events to impact hundreds of women and girls.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for everyone

Always challenge the status quo. It is the responsibility of each new generation to challenge the ideas that have come before in order to move society forward. Always question how you can do something better.

Recommended Education

My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Teachers:

"You should just quit. You are going to give us a bad name. "

Challenges I Overcame

Teen Parent
Imposter Syndrome

Interviewed By

Challenge the Status Quo

Challenge the Status Quo

The road-trippers head to Skywalker Ranch, where Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt recounts driving cross-country to California twice before his dreams of being a sound designer beat back his fear of change; plus Pixar animator Ralph Eggleston on getting beyond the world you inhabit and going deeper into what interests you, and Janice Levenhagen-Seeley of ChickTech on challenging the status quo.