Tech Meetups

2009-2012

GRupal

When I left Portland and its Drupal group, I left with a mandate to pull together a Drupal group for Grand Rapids Drupal. I had been working with the CMS for a few years, and since The Rapidian was being built on Drupal, the Community Media Center agreed to host the meetups at their annex. We decided to call ourselves “GRupal,” the sexiest meetup in GR (if you look up #GRupal on Twitter, you’ll figure out why). I facilitated the monthly Drupal meetups for two and a half years.

GR Women In Technology (WIT)

It isn’t unusual to see no women or just one woman at a tech meetup in Grand Rapids. Many women technologists recounted to me that upon arriving at a volunteer programming event, they were asked if they were the food help or who their husband was.

Seeing that women could use additional support and a judgment-free space, I began organized socials for women in high-level technology in the Grand Rapids area.