Featured Geek: Phoenix Perry
[On being a female geek in a male dominated field] “I was so freaked out by being in the computer science lab as a women when I was 18 that I left the field and became self taught. I couldn’t do my homework without being hit on and that was wrong. I did a literature major because I liked reading and the department was female dominated. I always wonder what would have happened had I found a computer lab full of women instead. I will never be the programmer I could have been had I not been intimidated out of the field for my undergraduate education. Don’t let that happen to you.”
Phoenix is a game developer who describes herself as “the Sailor Mercury type.” She’s also an Adjunct Professor at NYU, teaching gaming and design, and is the founder of the Code Liberation Foundation, which offers free game development workshops to women. When she’s not busy with one of her many projects (this woman does everything!), you can find her gaming, coding, drawing, or enjoying alone time with her cats. Phoenix also likes to geek out on Star Trek, Doctor Who, Sailor Moon, and Buffy. Phoenix aims to inspire other lady nerds, advising women to find and keep confidence and “be kind to yourself,” adding that if you can do that “it’s a huge win.”