Meet the Directors: Johanna Lee
By: Caree Youngman
Tags: Women In Tech, Meetthedirectors

Meet the Directors: Johanna Lee

A closer look at Women Who Code DFW’s Directors

Photo by Estée Janssens on Unsplash

How did you get into the industry?

I got into the tech industry by getting a job at a tech startup as a digital marketing analyst. I had the unique ability to work at a SaaS (software as a service) company where the platform I used on a daily basis to do my job was also something I actively speced out new features and worked with engineers to see the finished feature through to the end.

Overall, I liked what I was doing, but I ultimately wanted more control and input in solving the problems I was finding. This led me to eventually shifting into a Junior Front End Engineer role where I was mentored on a part-time basis while I completed classes and worked on personal projects to establish my own version of developer legitimacy.

What did you struggle with most when getting into the industry?

I find this question a bit funny because my journey was uniquely difficult but also because I had a lot of special circumstances come together at once. Whether it was making the real decision to end my previous role to prioritize becoming a developer, all the way to a friend agreeing to mentor me. I struggled the most with considering myself to be a “real” developer. I would constantly google: “How to become a real dev?”, “What’s the best way to transition into an engineering role?”, and so on.

My biggest struggle was — and let’s be honest, still is — my self-doubt on whether I could be viewed as a legitimate software engineer despite not getting a college degree in this field.

Spoiler: I am good enough, and so are the other developers without a college education in computer science.

How did you get involved in Women Who Code?

I got involved in Women Who Code after looking for Tech Meetups and realizing there were not many in close proximity for me to attend. I saw a unique need for tech events that were friendly for all genders and experience levels in my city, and so, I set out to attend Women Who Code meetups some two hours away with the ambition of one-day hosting events that would give people the access to quality events that primarily legitimize women in technology.

You can say I dove headfirst into the organization and I’ve never looked back since.

Why Women Who Code? (Why do you do what you do for WWCode?)

Wow, talk about a question that could end in me writing a whole novel! Women Who Code was not the only tech meetup I attended, but without a doubt, it has been the most accepting, well put together, and empowering group of women on a local, national, and international level.

They have a mission of empowering women to be representative in tech and they do it in a way that not only encourages women to enter the field but gives them a community to belong and thrive in. Not to mention, encourages men to be great allies! I’ve been the only woman dev in an office, and it is entirely intimidating. Even when the office is not discriminatory or purposefully exclusive, there’s no way to evade the inevitable factor that you’ll feel like the odd woman out.

It’s a community of women and other allies who actively advocate for women by giving advice for everything from job interviews to salary negotiations. We organize regular networking events to strengthen soft skills as well as give speaking and teaching opportunities that in turn empower our entire network with a new skillset.

It’s energizing to see so many women grow in their careers as a direct result of being a part of Women Who Code. This org has given me some of my best friends. This org makes me constantly reassess how to be a better person and leader. I am hopelessly devoted and enthralled to be a part of this organization.

Johanna Lee standing in a black dress in front of a floral backdrop

How has Women Who Code helped you in your career?

Women Who Code has taught me that being a developer is more than just a job — it’s a career. It’s given me the confidence to value myself as a competent programmer even when I personally face imposter syndrome.

Technology is wild. Like come on, the device you’re reading this on wasn’t even real some decades ago. Programming can seem entirely magical at times and having a group like WWCode helps me embrace the uncertainties of new frameworks and celebrate the wins of making words render on web pages.

What is something you wished you would have known when you started your first dev job?

I wish I would have known I don’t have to submit the perfect code the first time around. I mean, I was told this, but I didn’t really let it sink in.

Code review is a beautiful learning opportunity and questions on your code (as long as you can answer them ;) ) actually helps to make you a better developer.

What is something that motivates you?

Seeing people I’ve helped in some way succeed beyond their initial goals. I know that’s somewhat broad, but I’m entirely a sucker for being motivated by seeing the success of someone whose journey I’ve been a part of. Simply put, it is everything.

Tell me about a time you made a mistake. What did you learn?

I would say the biggest mistake I’ve made in the past is putting my work-life ahead of my personal hobbies.

Hobbies are healthy and amazing ways to de-stress and overall, make you a better employee and person. I learned that it is essential to make time to pursue these passion projects and interests and not let them fall away just because work is in a constant state of deadlines.

What’s next for you? What are some long-term goals of yours?

Become a solid full stack developer and Vue SME. Well, maybe I’ll never be a Vue.JS expert, but I do want to become very strong in the framework and work on a few personal projects.

While I can do full-stack in terms of JavaScript, I hope to sharpen my C# ( :) ) skills over the next year or so to become a more proficient developer as a whole.

What’s something you’re really proud of?

I’m really proud of seeing where the new Fort Worth branch has come since August 2018. I’ve had countless people help get it to where it is, but I’m very proud of my own perseverance that was necessary to survive the 2019 mark.