May 18, 2017   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Hackbright Academy Names Erin Geiger to Vice President of Business Development

Hackbright Academy, the Bay Area’s leading engineering school exclusively for women, has named Erin Geiger to the post of vice president of business development. With more than 15 years of experience in cultivating social and economic opportunities for girls and women, Geiger’s role will focus on advancing the academy’s mission to increase women’s representation in technology through education, mentorship and community. Her work in weaving together win-win partnerships for both public and private entities has created coalitions made up of global Fortune 500 firms, small local organizations and companies of all sizes in between. Geiger will execute a new strategic blueprint for Hackbright in an effort to expand its engagement across the Silicon Valley and beyond.

Influencing workforce strategies and developing successful career pathways for students at the academy, her efforts will emphasize placing Hackbright graduates and alumnae into well-paid jobs by strengthening connections and collaboration between the academy and the tech industry. She will also undertake an investment initiative designed to increase in-kind contributions that improve student life and resources, and broaden scholarships and sponsorships that alleviate the financial burden of furthering education for qualified women.

“A passionate role model and advocate, Erin is the perfect fit for Hackbright as we look to expand opportunity and level the playing field,” said Scott Deming, COO. “She is a champion of positive change and will play a vital role as we look to co-create new, far reaching solutions with current and potential partners--from employers to mentors to business leaders--that propel even more women toward fulfilling careers in technology.”

The cornerstone of Geiger’s career has been connecting people, ideas, innovation and financial resources in a common agenda for global good. Prior to joining Hackbright, she served in various executive roles at Fair Trade USA, Family Independence Initiative, Kiva.org and Care. Her experience with women as creators and users of technology around the world highlights how they can accelerate social change and inspire younger generations.

“I’ve dedicated my entire career to helping girls and young women be fearless in the pursuit of their dreams. When we remove the obstacles that stand in their way, we build a future workforce that turns gender equity into a strategic advantage. Hackbright believes in a ‘total market’ approach that addresses the needs of industry through vibrant networks across hiring firms, talent and training, and I couldn’t agree more,” said Geiger.

With an entrepreneurial career spanning for-profit, nonprofit and consulting roles in more than 30 countries, Geiger has worked tirelessly to identify the root causes of inequity and determine how to affect systems-wide change. She has a wide range of relevant subject-matter expertise in areas of global supply chains, farming, micro-finance, information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D), girls and women, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), social impact studies, fundraising and storytelling.

Erin Geiger has a master’s degree in Public Administration, a master’s in International Studies, and an MBA certificate in Global Trade, Transportation and Logistics, all from the University of Washington - Seattle. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Philosophy and English from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

About Hackbright Academy

Based in San Francisco, Hackbright Academy is the Bay Area’s leading engineering school for women. Its mission is to increase the representation of women in tech through education, mentorship and community. Hackbright’s flagship fellowship is a 12-week immersive software development program where women learn the skills to become full-time software engineers. Graduates receive full-time job offers and Hackbright alumnae are represented at companies including Eventbrite, SurveyMonkey, New Relic, GoDaddy, Amazon, and Pinterest.

Hackbright Academy and the Hackbright Academy logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hackbright Academy Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.