Rakia Wells

Interview lead by Rakia Wells, Communication Specialist Cohort 5 Alum Jade Vance and Leah Petersen are the Co-Creators of AdieCon, an Alum driven conference meant to inspire, connect, and grow the Adie network. What started as an idea between friends blossomed into a renowned hub of inspiration and coveted industry talent.  Jade and Leah share their passion for implementing change in the tech industry and passing the torch to future Adies.  RW: Jade and Leah, thank you for joining me.…

At Ada, we have spent the last week with our AAPI students and staff – holding space and taking care of each other.  Our hearts are broken, and our community is scared and grieving.  We are calling on our broader Ada community to do more than condemn these actions. We must acknowledge the longstanding history of anti-Asian sentiment in this country and the dramatic underrepresentation of Asian Americans across our institutions. These deep-seated biases and historic actions of our nation…

The Challenge will award $40 million to accelerate the pace of progress toward gender equality in America. Contact: Rakia Wells, marketing@adadevelopersacademy.org SEATTLE, WA (March 8th, 2021) – Ada Developers Academy may be the best kept secret in Seattle until today. Out of five hundred and fifty hopeful applicants vying for the Equality Can’t Wait Challenge, Ada has been selected as a top 10 finalist for one of three $10 million awards. This sizable grant opens up possibilities for national expansion…

Interview lead by Rakia Wells, Communication Specialist Part 3, the final interview, highlighting the experiences of Black Adies at Ada and beyond. Stacy Lundquist Cohort 14 Currently: Headed to Internship Stacy Lundquist (she/her) from Cohort 14 wasn’t immediately accepted into the program. As she plans to transition into her internship, she mentions she got in on her third time applying. What we were unable to document via phone, Stacy graciously wrote in. RW: Stacy, tell me more about your journey…

Interview lead by Rakia Wells, Communication Specialist This is Part 2 of a 3 part series highlighting the experiences of Black Adies at Ada and beyond. Lynn Griffin Cohort 10 Currently at: Indeed Lynn Griffin (they/them) and I comment on the warm sunlight coming through the blinds and the Pacific Northwest’s lack thereof. Hailing from Phoenix and initiating a solo road trip to the Emerald City, Lynn paints the picture of how they found themselves at Ada Developers Academy. LG:…

Interview lead by Rakia Wells, Communication Specialist This is Part 1 of a 3 part series highlighting the experiences of Black Adies at Ada and beyond. Ana Lisa Sutherland Cohort 9 Currently at: Artsy Ana Lisa (she/her), from Cohort 9, joins me virtually in her Seattle apartment, cozied up on the couch, nestled next to her french bulldog puppy, Hops. As we get settled and check the wifi connection, Ana Lisa starts to describe her journey to tech. AL: I…

Rachel Maheshwari (she/her) – Career Services Manager I’m thrilled to be joining Ada as the Career Services Manager. My hope is to provide Adies all of the tools and resources they need to be successful as they transition from internship to the workplace and throughout their careers.  Before joining Ada, I worked at Year Up and Flatiron School, where I also supported students in breaking into careers in the tech space. I have been working in career development and coaching…

By: Lauren Sato, CEO This Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, much of our country is grappling with the renewed awareness that white supremacy is still alive and well in our country. And nearly 53 years after his assassination, the Promised Land King dreamt of still feels far out of reach for so many. At Ada this weekend, we are thinking specifically about the critical connection in Dr. King’s dream between freedom and jobs. In the latest US jobs report, we…

Eryn Strong (she/her) – Program Assistant, Revenue and Partnerships I am excited to be joining the Ada team as a Program Assistant to support Ada’s Business Development team. Before Ada, I managed events at The Riveter. Prior to my time at The Riveter, I worked at the Pacific Science Center for 10+ years, where I did Informal Education in the exhibit halls. I later managed weekend-long science events with the PNW science community. Outside of work, you can find me…

Ada is thrilled to welcome our final member to the Ada Advisory Board, Latoya Singleton. As the current Chief Financial Officer at Math for America, Latoya brings a wealth of experience in finance and development strategies. Latoya’s expertise is an excellent match to round out our board of dynamic and engaging thought leaders. Read below to learn more about Latoya in her own words: Latoya Singleton, Chief Financial Officer, Math for America What drew you to serve in Ada’s Advisory…