Interview with Karen Grace | BlackHawk Data

What inspired you to pursue a career in IT?

As a graduate of FIT in NYC, I had imagined myself as a buyer for seasonal lines at Bloomingdales or Nordstroms. But I leaned into my Communications Degree right out of graduation and began my career selling online advertising space for the NYTimes.com within the technology market. I loved the fast-paced environment, how ads were created and appeared on our website, and measuring “click-throughs” and “impressions.” Once I caught that tech bug, the rest was history!

What is the most challenging part about being a woman in IT?

I remember in 2006, being at an IT event and looking around the room where I was 1 of 5 women in a group of 54 of us. Those were different times with much higher hurdles for us to clear. I’m grateful to have experienced such a tremendous period of positive change for women in the IT industry..

What is the most rewarding part about being a woman in a leadership role?

I am proud of my ability to work cross-functionally with other people and teams with success. This teamwork mentality is something most women are familiar with since we have to be nimble enough to change roles and wear different hats on a daily basis.

Why is diversity in business important to you?

I am a firm believer in cognitive diversity. Cultivating diversity of thought requires companies to hire individuals with uniquely different backgrounds and perspectives. I believe this can boost innovation and creative problem-solving within the workplace.

What advice would you give an aspiring female IT leader?

Our time is now, the only roadblock between you and your career of choice is you. So aim high, set goals, and do not hold back from what you want and where you’d like to be!

Want to tell us anything else?

Engaging with Blackhawk Data and Maryann has been an amazing experience. Maryann’s grit and passion for customer service and problem-solving is very refreshing. I’m incredibly impressed with Blackhawk Data’s integrity and support of all business sizes in the NY/NJ area and I cannot wait to see what exciting opportunities 2022 will bring for them.

Help Us Keep IT Diverse

BlackHawk Data is proud to be a woman-owned small business. We’re committed to sharing the stories of women in our industry and opening doors for young professionals. We believe everyone should be able to make changes in the tech world.
Learn more about our commitment to diversity today!