PepUp Tech is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help the underrepresented community and diversify the tech industry. They have many programs to help this cause, one of which I was part of: the PepUp Tech Salesforce Bootcamp. The program teaches what Salesforce is and how it works. We walked through trails in Trailhead together to better understand how and why we build certain things in Salesforce based on each scenario. We built custom apps and presented them to the rest of the students.
PepUp Tech has helped shape me into the person I am today. Not only did they teach us the hard skills, but we were also taught the soft skills needed to be a successful consultant, always keeping the client in mind.
How PepUp Tech led me to the Silverline Academy
Before graduating from the PepUp Tech Bootcamp I was in school full time studying cyber security and working 2-3 jobs to pay for my tuition. Unfortunately, I couldn’t afford to keep going so I had to withdraw from school. After graduating from the bootcamp I was invited to networking events in NYC, one of them being a Silverline and PepUp Tech fundraiser. I was introduced to a few Silverliners that night, one of them being Lizz Hellinga!
We spoke for a while, getting to know each other, and we exchanged contact information. A few weeks later I got a call from Selina Suarez, who mentioned that Silverline was hiring and had this awesome program called the Silverline Academy and that I should apply. I was very hesitant to apply because I was trying to save enough money to go back to school and I didn’t believe I was ready. But after speaking with Selina for about 45 minutes, I gave in and applied. Before I knew it, a month and a half later, I became a Silverliner!
Today I am the Internal Business Systems Analyst at Silverline. I work with an amazing team where I help with our internal Salesforce Org, coordinate with the Sales Team to get client security questionnaires completed, assist with our security audits, run the IT Security Taskforce and Council committee… and a few other things.
Speaking at the Salesforce Tower and Dreamforce 2019
Being part of Silverline and PepUp Tech has opened so many doors for me to grow and experience things I never would have before. For instance, I had the honor of speaking at French Touch Dreamin‘ in Paris this year, where I got to share my story with other college students who are facing the same challenges I was before joining the ecosystem. I was also given the opportunity to speak on a panel at the Salesforce Tower a couple of weeks ago, where we discussed the future of work and the war on talent.
An event I am super excited about is Dreamforce! I have been asked to speak at Dreamforce this year at the Trailhead Theater where the Salesforce Team will be honoring rockstar Trailblazers from all over the world.
Session Title: How PepUp Tech Changed Our Lives
Session Date: 11/21/2019
Session Time: 3:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
Location: Moscone South – Campground | Trailblazer Theater
If you are coming to Dreamforce, come to PepUp Tech’s third annual karaoke event: Karaoke for a Cause! All the proceeds go to PepUp Tech programs like the Salesforce Bootcamp to keep them running and help the next set of students become rockstar Trailblazers.
