March 8th is International Women’s Day. The mission of IWD for Women in Tech is to celebrate digital advancement and champion women forging innovation through technology. CleanSlate is celebrating by recognizing the women on our team all week long. Follow along each day to learn more about them, their roles, and why they believe celebrating IWD is important.
WOMEN OF CLEANSLATE
Name: Liz Watson
City: Westfield, IN
Occupation: Financial Analyst
Tell us about yourself:
I graduated from IU – Bloomington with a Computer Information Systems degree. I have been with CleanSlate for 4 years as a Financial Analyst. I’ve been married to my husband, Casey, for 21 years and we have 3 children. Our son is a freshman at IU studying Computer Science, one of our daughters is a junior in high school and our youngest daughter is in 8th grade. We have 2 dogs; an 8-year-old Standard Poodle named Simon and a 9-month-old Bernadoodle named Maverick. My youngest daughter plays travel softball so I spend most of my fall/spring/summer traveling with her. I enjoy watching all sports, reading, and skiing.
Who is your biggest influence?
My biggest influence has been my dad. He’s always had an incredible work ethic, which has taught me to finish the job I start, do the very best work I can, and not procrastinate.
How would you define women’s empowerment?
I would define women empowerment as having the freedom and ability to choose to pursue the things we want to do without being limited by someone else’s expectations of what those things should be or the level of success we can reach doing them.
What did you want to be growing up?
I wanted to be a veterinarian.
If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t worry so much about what other people think about you.
What do you enjoy most about your role and working at CleanSlate?
I enjoy the flexibility and knowing that the work I do every day has a direct impact on the success of the company. Additionally, I believe CleanSlate really appreciates the value that the women on the team provide.
Is it important to celebrate IWD?
Yes, I think it is important only because we do not have gender equity yet. Recognizing this day keeps the issue in the forefront so that we can continue to push for progress in this area.
Why do you think it is important for young girls to consider roles in STEM?
There are so many great opportunities to explore in these fields which can help young girls become successful, independent, self-supporting women. In addition, the creativity and critical thinking skills girls and women can bring to the table in these areas will only aid in finding more diverse, creative solutions.
What are the main challenges facing women in IT presently? How do we overcome them?
IT is still considered a “man’s world.” Women are not looked at as not having the skills to be successful in IT roles. Women continue to be treated as less than equal to their male counterparts in the same roles as if their contributions and work. aren’t as valuable.