Written by volunteer writer Alison Perch

Spreading TechGirlz’ mission wouldn’t be possible without the help of dedicated volunteers. As Outreach Representative, Sam Rossman plays a key role in promoting TechShopz and other opportunities to support the organization.

Sam’s mother, Tracey Welson-Rossman — founder and CEO of TechGirlz — inspired him to get involved.

“Her tireless dedication to the organization is what keeps me interested in what the technology industry has to offer,” Sam explains.

Sam works in the film industry, both on his own projects and larger scale productions. He started out by making videos for TechGirlz and was later brought on part time as Outreach Representative. Over the past two years, he’s enjoyed spreading the word about TechGirlz and getting others involved in the mission.

“While we’ve reached a larger audience over the past few years, it’s always a pleasant surprise when someone says, ‘I didn’t know about TechGirlz, but I’ve been looking for an organization like this for my daughter,’” Sam says.

Sam notes that TechShopz are run several times per month, so there are multiple opportunities for girls and volunteers to participate. Through his outreach work, Sam strives to make sure workshops aren’t canceled due to low attendance or a lack of volunteers.

While running TechShopz may sound intimidating, Sam wants prospective volunteers to know they have nothing to fear.

“TechShopz are very supportive environments, and everyone is always learning, even the experts. It’s okay if things don’t go exactly according to plan,” he notes.

Though Sam works outside of the tech industry, he is committed to TechGirlz’ mission and would like to learn more about coding himself.

“I want to help TechGirlz take the lead on introducing technology to girls at a younger age with the hopes that other organizations will follow suit,” he says.

Sam recognizes that the gender gap in technology can create challenges that we must work hard to overcome.

“I can’t speak entirely for tech, but there’s this notion that those who have already established themselves in an industry only want to see more people like them continuing in their positions. As a result, there are inherently less opportunities for women because they don’t fit the image of what’s normally expected in their field,” he explains.

He notes that women who do break into tech may need to work harder to prove themselves. “It’s a challenge that shouldn’t have to be overcome, but one that we have to break down if we ever want to move forward,” Sam says.

Through his work with TechGirlz, Sam has learned a lot about technology and the importance of teaching younger generations about tech.

“I hope that my contributions to TechGirlz helped the organization expand and reach girls that might not have had access to the resources we provided,” Sam says.

Thank you, Sam and best wishes on the next venture in your career!