TechGirlz and CompTIA Spark are excited to introduce you to the new and returning members of our 7th Teen Advisory Board (TAB) for the 2022-2023 term. It’s our largest TAB group yet!
TAB members are chosen through a competitive applications process, and are made up of our program participants now in high school. These young women serve as mentors and advisors to the program at large. We have 55 young women who are joining TAB for this year, 31 returning and 24 newcomers. Our TAB members range in age from 9th to 12th grade, and come from all over the United States — and this year we have our first international member!
Returning member Alysia Davis is excited to get started. “This year I have more professional experience than I did before. I had an internship over the summer that gave me the opportunity to improve my programming skills and develop an understanding of how tech is applied in the field in the real world,” she tells us. “I think this experience is helpful because I can share what I learned with other TAB members and the girls I volunteer to help.”
TAB empowers girls in their learning journey with practical, hands-on experience in helping both younger participants and staff. New Member Kylie Cameron told us, “I want to be on the TechGirlz advisory board in order to help give back to underserved and rural communities and I believe that I could bring a unique perspective to the advisory board due to my previous achievements and experience. I would love to bring TechGirlz into my community as an advisor, by holding workshops at local libraries and schools in my area!”
Board members are responsible for a range of tasks, including help in designing new TechGirlz workshops, connecting with middle-school girls through workshop instruction, and boosting awareness about the need for more tech programs serving young girls. New TAB member Saanvi Uppalapati applied to join after taking TechGirlz workshops. “As a middle schooler, I participated in a few TechGirlz workshops,” she told us. “This exposed me to Python and other programming languages and gave me introductory knowledge on coding. Now, as a high school student, I am registering for introductory courses in AI and Machine Learning.”
Sriji Tamidela, also returning, looks toward larger goals.“I applied originally as a Techgirlz teaching assistant,” she said. “But participating in TAB has shown me that it is an extension of what I want to do in the computer science space: make it a safe space for everyone.”
TAB Members pictured below! Click on images to enlarge. Learn more about how to join TAB here.
2022-2023 TAB Members
Faith Hsia — Gilbert, AZ
Harini Karthikeyan — Scottsdale, AZ
Aura Mukherjee — Los Altos, CA
Azra Emekci — San Jose, CA
Shweta Surendar — Cupertino, CA
Suchita Srinivasan — Cheshire, CT
Trisha Srikanth — Wilmington, DE
Vibha Gunturi — Wilmington, DE
Shaivi Wankhede — Buffalo Grove, IL
Arya Jha — Inverness, IL
Eesha Santosh — Lincolnshire, IL
Mikaela Minkovsky — Chicago, IL
Sandra John — Boilingbrook, IL
Srija Tamidela — Gretna, LA
Sahithy Prattipati — Northville, MI
Ananya Raghunath — Morris Plains, NJ
Anissa Basu — Saddle River, NJ
Audrey Chen — West Windsor, NJ
Avanthi Krishnan — Montville, NJ
Diya Patel — North Brunswick, NJ
Julia Chan — Cherry Hill, NJ
Maanya Chugh — South Brunswick Township, NJ
Reeva Khokhar — Edison, NJ
Sanjana Ananth — Robbinsville, NJ
Serena Gulati Robinsville, NJ
Abigail Huang — New Hyde Park, NY
Saanvi Uppalapati — McLean, VA
Lia Flores — Laurens, NY
Aditi Rai — Cary, NC
Alysia Davis — Durham, NC
Amrita Acharya — Morrisville, NC
Navya Alva — Cary, NC
Puneetha Mallarapu — Cary, NC
Sahasra Nandela — Cary, NC
Kylie Cameron — Columbiana, OH
Alekhya Buragadda — Pittsburgh, PA
Ava Saydam — Harleysville, PA
Ellee Segal — Gwynedd Valley, PA
Esha Sehgal — Downingtown, PA
Hannah Yang — Wayne, PA
Hannah Yum — Lower Gwynadd, PA
Ishitaa Saxena — Exton, PA
Lilly Press — Bryn Mawr, PA
Mia Melishchuk — Philadelphia, PA
Riya Lakhani — Yardley, PA
Saloni Bhatia — Blue Bell, PA
Samshita Maram — Chester Springs, PA
Sasha Deringer — Bryn Mawr, PA
Sonal Shah — Malvern, PA
Sophia Tamburrino — Harleysville, PA
Trevor Gardner — Philadelphia, PA
Catherine Li — Spring, TX
Veda Kutagula — Allen, TX
Alisha Jamal — Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Laasya Chevendra — Ashburn, VA