I figured this would make a good blog entry…

Originally Posted by Brian
Erica, What motivated you to work in the computer field?

^that guy right there, the Tandy 1000 SL…I got it in 1987 (at 7 years old) for Christmas and that was all she wrote. My mom used to do combat plans and supply for the Air Force so she had to know BASIC and QBASIC which she taught to me. I dunno, I guess I just took to it and never let go.

I was always on a computer somewhere in school. In GT classes I always did the computer junk. Oregon Trail and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego were my applications of choice in 3rd grade. When I was 10, I got sent to this full week long HyperCard class so that I could come back and teach the entire 5th grade of my school how to use it. Of course it all went over their heads but it served to fuel my love of computers.

After putting together a newsletter for my school on the PC’s in GT in 6th grade, I was hooked, completely. I’d do all the typing test crap in the required computer classes and then when I was done in 10 minutes, I’d have 50 minutes left to tinker on the little Macs and tinker I did. Back then I knew those things inside and out. Funny how Apple had a hold over the education system, even then.

Anywho, as I got older I was always attached to a PC. I became the fix it girl for all my computer classes and even took a non-required zero hour (an hour before school really started) class to learn programming in high school. I also got into hacking/phreaking in high school too and almost got expelled for it but I won’t go into the details about that.

In college I majored in computer science, hated the programming, and switched to CIS. I got my associates degree and got hired by the University of Alaska Statewide after doing my internship there. I’ve been learning (picked up the whole web thing without classes) ever since. Next stop? Going back to what I love the most about computers and technology…InfoSec.