ERICA STANLEY — FOUNDER, MENTOR, AND LEADER

Erica Stanley was always interested in technology. Originally her focus was on graphics and digital applications, however her diverse and successful career slowly steered her towards the path of software engineering and mobile applications. That finally culminated in her achieving her dream of co-founding a startup with Synapse App. At the same time she has become a leader in her community, giving back through acts of support and mentorship towards young women looking to enter the field.

In college Erica achieved a Masters in Computer Science from Clark Atlanta University, and did postgraduate work specializing in 3D Graphics and Visualization at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Upon graduation she took up a role as a Research Engineer working on Simulation and Design Visualization for Boeing. From there her career began to excel as she took on a series of positions at prestigious companies including Fox Interactive, Turner Broadcasting, and Oracle.

This continued success made Erica a natural leader in her field, but she found herself held back by a lack of confidence in her public speaking abilities. However she quickly got over that when she decided to help start the Atlanta Women Who Code Network. As a leader, she found herself in a position where she constantly had to handle crowds of varying sizes in order to support the group. Her involvement as a WWCode Director also opened up opportunities for her to give tech talks, and increased her standing and prestige in the industry.

As her career progressed, she found herself working more with software and mobile applications than graphics and design. She adapted well to these new disciplines, and they eventually lead her to break away from corporate work and start her own company. Synapse is an application that is designed to improve networking and social media traction by connecting users with their peers across various social media platforms. Co-founding this startup has allowed Erica to achieve her dream of spending her days in charge of her own destiny, while building a product that she loves.

In her spare time, Erica is involved in a number of intriguing side projects that involve wearables and the internet of things. She also sits on the Advisory Board of 100 Girls of Code, and continues to act as the Network Director for Women Who Code Atlanta, where she leads workshops, and acts as an encouraging beacon to those looking for the inspiration to achieve their dreams in the tech industry. When asked what advice she has for young women entering the field, she said, “Try new things — you never know what might happen, and you can expand your career in ways you could never foresee.”