We’re a close knit team here at Riviera, so we keep a close eye on our employees even after they move on to other opportunities. One such team member is Alaina Percival, who is now leading the grassroots charge as CEO of our partner Women Who Code. Recently, Alaina chatted with TechRepublic about keeping women in the tech industry, growing a startup into a nonprofit, and learning new tech skills.
(TechRepublic) Alaina Percival: Women Who Code CEO. Grassroots leader. Hiker.
Alaina Percival was the leader of Women Who Code long before she officially accepted the title. She brushed it off for two years because she felt like an imposter, in a way. Though she had worked and volunteered with the global nonprofit since its beginning, and she was the go-to person for almost all questions, she didn’t have a technical background. She was still relatively new to the tech industry.
Then she convinced herself of something important: if an engineer was leading, she wasn’t out in the world, being an engineer. By taking the lead and becoming CEO, Percival was keeping the mission of Women Who Code — inspiring women to excel in technology careers — strong, and she knew how to do it. She incorporated the organization, filed for a 501(c)3 status, and trademarked the name. She started talking to press and expanding their reach.
