i work on the web

i work on the web (inspired by Lisa Herrod)

for some silly reason I'm struggling writing this bio, while i'm working on it, i thought i'd share the "haiku version"

the web is my air
touching people and ideas
it’s all about love

Now, for the longer version

I’m a gadget girl who loves working/playing at the University of Texas at Austin as a web developer.

My love of gadgets and technology began in the back of a 356 Porsche at the age of 1. I was raised in the high-speed world of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the Porsche Club of America (PCA). My role models were racing officials, drivers and the crash rescue team. To this day, the roar of a well tuned engine makes my heart beat faster.

My first computer was a Mac SE and I was an Apple girl until 2000, when I joined the central web team at UT Austin and switched to a PC. As of 2007 I’m happily living a bi-OS life on a MacBook Pro (sweet sigh of satisfaction).

I’m reveling in motherhood…married to a prince of a guy with two precious children. My nickname in college was the 4 year old, and I will always have a childlike facet to my personality.

I’m a voracious reader who has to be careful that I don’t succumb to a malady like the “book-eating boy” did ;)

I vividly remember the day the web won my heart. I had just download Mosaic and gotten my first glimpse of the World Wide Web. Without a doubt, it was "love at first sight". That year, I taught myself HTML and started developing web pages for UT. I have experience programming in Basic, Pascal, Natural, PHP and CakePHP.

I often introduce myself as Glenda the Goodwitch and the self-appointed Accessibility Goddess/Web Standards Evangelist of the University of Texas at Austin. I sit on the central UT web team where I help support www.utexas.edu. My specialties include usability/accessibility, handheld wireless devices, technical training and project management.

I also adore working with Sharron Rush and the crew at Knowbility where I co-founded AIR-University (Accessibility Internet Rally) and AccessU. I serve as an accessibility consultant, judge and trainer for Knowbility. This is a perfect fit for me, because I am all about empowering people with information and functionality on the web.

When I'm not working at UT or accessibilizing with Knowbility, you are most likely to find me volunteering for the Web Standards Project or exploring museum technology. I feel my raison d’etre is to transform museums into meaningful interactive experiences using transparent technology. I consult with the Blanton Museum and GeeGuides where I find it impossible to differentiate work from play.

(to be continued)