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Glenda Sims is a whirlwind of accomplishment in information technology, web education, museum accessibility, web accessibility and web standards. She's someone who makes things change and gets things done, and the worthy honoree of attention on Ada Lovelance Day.
Ada Lovelace Dayis an international day of blogging (videologging, podcasting, comic drawing etc.) to draw attention to the achievements of women in technology and science.
Take a visual tour through Glenda's life, from her childhood in Texas to her current position as Senior Systems Analyst in Information Technology Services at the University of Texas at Austin.
Her blog is Oz: the blog of glenda sims (the goodwitch) and she's @goodwitch on Twitter. The rest of her information is listed at Flavors/goodwitch.
Before we get into the professional activities that made her an Ada Lovelace topic, let Glenda tell you a bit about her personal life.
I'm happily married (20+ years) to the love of my life, Scott. We have two of the most wonderful children on the planet (both boys). I am a native Texan. Born in Houston. Bachelor's Degrees in Psychology and Business Management from the University of Texas at Austin. Began my career as a human resources professional at UT Austin. Had an opportunity to become a programmer (for Human Resources) so I could automated the tasks that could be done by computers, allowing employees to use their brains for more useful tasks.
I love to read. I'm really into kid-lit and discovering new authors with my youngest son. Last year we had a blast reading almost all of the book son the Texas Blue Bonnet Reading List.
One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to making jumping origami frogs...and yes...I still love to make them.
At UT-Austin, Glenda works on Team Web and help supports the central web site for the University. She is the self-appointed web standards and accessibility advocate at UT. Her work on campus includes museum technology, usability, accessibility and universal design. She's currently leading the project to redesign UT's mobile web site.
She works with Knowbility, an accessibility training and advocacy organization based in Austin, Texas. She's been an accessibility consultant, judge and trainer with Knowbility since 2001. She said,
My dear friends at Knowbility are a huge part of who I am today. Sharron Rush, John Slatin, Jim Thatcher, Jim Allan and the whole accessibility crew in Austin have filled me with the burning desire to make sure that the web is available to everyone, regardless of their disabilities. Knowbility is like family to me.
I know Glenda best through her work with Web Standards Project, the InterAct curriculum, and OWEA (Open Web Education Alliance)—all projects I'm involved with myself. She's an influential and dynamic leader in these projects and is moving mountains to bring change to web education. I asked her how she got into this area.
My journey into Web Standards started in December 2000 when I asked if I could become the web accessibility expert for UT. I was quickly introduced to Dr. John Slatin, an international accessibility expert and faculty member on our campus. John and I were an incredible force on campus. We shared new techniques, brainstormed creative solutions, developed training classes, policies and guidelines for campus and ran accessibility competitions for our webmasters. We weren't merely satisfied with teaching the "how" of accessibility...we wanted to build a culture of universal design on campus and created accessibility evangelists. My years working with John were priceless.
John introduced me to Sharron Rush and Knowbility in early 2001. We become the 3 Accessibility Amigos.
In SXSWi 2005, I was preparing to speak on an accessibility panel with James Craig, Ian Lloyd and Derek Featherstone. As we worked on our game plan for the panel, I was introduced to a whole new crew of web and accessibility advocates from the Web Standards Project. As I sat and listened to the vision and plans of the WaSP members I felt deeply inspired to take my work to the next level. Up until 2005 I was focused on making things accessible here in Austin. After SXSW this year I realized that I wanted to act globally as well as locally. I set a personal and private goal for myself. I wanted to become a WaSP.
In 2006 I had an opportunity to volunteer to
