What the tech industry feels like when you’re Not Alone
In tech, being the only woman in the room gets exhausting. You’re constantly overthinking every question, staying up late solving problems alone because there’s no one you feel comfortable reaching out to.
With RTC, that changes.
When cybersecurity seems intimidating because you don’t know where to start, members break it down for you step by step. When you’re wondering if a job offer is fair, you get honest feedback from women who’ve negotiated similar roles. When you’re the only woman on your team again, you have a place to vent with people who get it without explanation.
You become part of something bigger, a community of 35,000+ women facing the same challenges. The senior developer who remembers your first performance review. The peer who knows which interview questions that company really asks. The mentor who handled being talked over in meetings.
This isn’t just about feeling better. It’s about staying in tech when you might otherwise leave. It’s about advancing faster with insider information and strategies that work. It’s about building your career with people who have your back.
And when talented people like you thrive, the entire industry gets stronger.
We journey with women in tech, from campus to career
Rewriting the Code is a community of 37,000+ women building their tech careers together, supporting each other from college classrooms through early professional roles. We’re not just another network; we’re the people who show up when you’re debugging code at 2 AM, preparing for a difficult interview, or navigating your first leadership role.
Our members connect with mentors who’ve walked their path, peers who understand their challenges, and companies that value their talent. Through our active Slack community, year-round events, and personalized support, we’ve created something different: a place where women find both belonging and opportunity in tech.
How we’re rewriting the code for women in tech
Where community, opportunity, and support come together 24/7.
A community that actually shows up
Unlike passive networks or online forums, RTC is an active community where members respond when you need them most. Whether you’re facing a technical challenge or navigating workplace dynamics, you’ll find immediate support from women who understand exactly what you’re experiencing.
Support that’s there year-round, not just at events
We don’t believe in one-off conferences or career fairs that disappear when you need them most. Our community and programming provide continuous support throughout your journey: during finals week, before big interviews, and when you’re navigating your first leadership role.
Guidance from college through early career
Most organizations focus on either students or professionals, creating a fragmented experience during critical transition points. We bridge this gap by supporting women throughout the entire first decade of their tech journey, when guidance matters most and lasting professional relationships form.
Stop collecting resumes and start building genuine connections with qualified candidates who strengthen your teams.
Finding strength in teams
Sue Harnett’s vision for Rewriting the Code was born from personal experience. As a freshman basketball player at Duke, she found herself overwhelmed and doubting her place. “I had never felt so out of place,” Sue recalls. “I felt like I’d lost most of my confidence.”
What saved her was her team. When teammates shared similar struggles, “a thousand-pound weight came off my back.” This moment taught Sue a powerful lesson: isolation breeds doubt, but community creates confidence.
Years later, in 2016, while consulting at Duke University, Sue discovered talented women were abandoning computer science despite loving the work. The reason? Not technical challenges, but “feelings of isolation, fear, and doubt,” the very same emotions she had once faced.
A simple solution to a complex problem
Sue’s answer was elegantly simple: “Women in tech needed a team.”
In January 2017, RTC launched with a clear mission: create a supportive community where women in tech would be “heard, validated, and inspired.” The response was immediate. Within a year, 1,000 women from 150 colleges had joined. Today, that community has grown to 38,000+ members with 100+ new women joining weekly.
What began as college support naturally evolved as members graduated. They created “a second very important team that helps women with their transition from college to the workplace,” addressing another critical point where talented people often leave tech.
The impact that matters
The magic of RTC happens in thousands of daily interactions: women supporting each other through technical challenges, career decisions, and moments of doubt. Just as Sue’s basketball teammates once did for her, RTC members provide the encouragement that keeps talented women in tech.
From 200 graduates entering tech careers in 2018 to over 1,300 in 2020, these numbers represent individual journeys supported by a community that shows up when it matters most.
“Just as my team transformed my perspective,” Sue says, “Rewriting the Code is doing the same thing for women in tech.”
Connecting women in tech and organizations across 100+ countries
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Undergrad + grad members
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Early career members
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Universities
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Countries
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Black Wings members
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Latinas de RTC members
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Tech Natives members
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Industry partners
Our Team
OUR FOUNDER
Sue Harnett
FOUNDER AND CEO
Sue is a proven company founder, entrepreneur, and healthcare leader. Before Rewriting the Code, Sue launched, developed, and successfully sold a novel e-commerce and technology business in the collegiate and professional sports industry. Sue also created the strategic vision and operational infrastructure for a multi-specialty physician organization within Duke University Health System, a nationally acclaimed academic health system.
She is an expert at recognizing the viability of business opportunities, testing the market to refine the proposed model, and executing the go-to-market strategy. She brings a strong ability to create passionate teams, establish focused and positive work cultures and lead disruptive business models to bring innovative change. Sue hopes to positively impact the young college women of Rewriting the Code by supporting the students with the necessary skills, confidence, and applied work opportunities to develop the next generation of technology leaders.
Sue received her Masters in Healthcare Administration from Duke University in 1992 and an AB in Economics from Duke University in 1990. Sue earned a full scholarship to Duke, receiving All-America honors before playing professional basketball in Kortrijk, Belgium.
Jessica Furness
Chief Operating Officer
Jade Barricelli
SVP, Member Experience
Lucille Tasker
VP, Data and Technology
Kristin Austin, Ed.D.
VP, Culture & Community Impact
Christy Augsburger
VP, Marketing
Beck Spears
VP, Philanthropy and Impact Partnerships
Monique Perez
VP, Partner Success
Nicole Wright
Sr. Director of Partner Experience, US/CAN
Jessica Sherwood
Sr. Executive Assistant
Sammi Hermanski
Program & Event Operations Director
Jess Rush
Director of Partner Experience, UK&I
Jade Wright
Student Experience Director
Jasmine Lunceford
Social Media Manager
Sidney Lopez
Early Career Experience Manager
Blessing Adogame
UK&I Program Manager
Jessica Mora
Community Impact Program Manager
Angelica Novo
Partner Success Manager
Anatole Norland
Technology Manager
Swadha Rai
Data Scientist II
Allison Darhun
Content Marketing Specialist
Kate Dean-McKinney
Data Visualization Specialist
Giuliana Giddings
Business Development Associate
Folasayo Obajuluwa
Technology Support Specialist
Emma Murray
Community Program Coordinator
Help us build the community women in tech deserve
Our team is growing, and we’re looking for passionate people who believe in the power of community to transform careers and workplaces. At RTC, you’ll be part of a nimble, distributed team working to support 38,000+ women on their tech journey.
Connect with peers who understand your challenges, from tough CS classes to finding your first internship. Our student community provides support, mentorship, and opportunities that make the difference between leaving tech and thriving in it.
Transform workplace challenges into growth opportunities with support from women who’ve recently walked your path. Build leadership skills, navigate promotions, and connect with mentors who remember exactly what these critical years feel like.
Find your specific community within our broader network. Our affinity groups, including Black Wings, Latinas de RTC, and Tech Natives, provide tailored support that recognizes and celebrates your unique journey in tech.
Partner with us to support initiatives that deliver concrete outcomes for women in tech. From removing financial barriers through our Future of Tech Fund to expanding our reach to new communities, your investment creates lasting impact.
Make a direct impact by volunteering as a mentor, speaker, or workshop leader. Whether you’re a seasoned tech professional or bring expertise from other fields, your knowledge can help guide the next generation of women in tech.
