SOMA Magazine SOMA Film and Music Issue Aug 15 | Page 44

Feature

The Influencers
Adriana Gascoigne
TexT and PhoTograPh by Kyle Thornburg
PhoTograPh by Ziv gillaT

Adriana Gascoigne, 38, sees the innovation in technology. It’s a
type of innovation not limited to her roles in technology, which
have spanned both global brands and start-up spaces. Wishing
to further the visibility of women in the technology industry,
Adriana founded the non-profit organization, Girls in Tech, in
2007. Established with the mission to empower women with
professional aspirations in technology, Girls in Tech mentors
women across 47 international chapters with Adriana at the
headquarters’ helm in San Francisco.
Your professional timeline has led you through an assortment of titles as well as offices around the world. What
has been the unifying element or passion in your career?
There are a few things, but one thing I’m most definitely grateful
for is the exposure and impact I’ve had through international
relations with people all across the globe. I’ve been fortunate
enough to explore my creativity and apply all of my skills and talents through building my company, mentorship activities within
my organization, and program development—all of which I’m
passionate about.
One of the components of Girls in Tech is identifying
which areas of science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM) are most appealing to young women. Which
areas of STEM enabled you to envision a career for yourself in technology as a young woman?
I’d say I primarily fall on the tech side. The design and illustration coupled with product development and product
marketing have all played a role in how I have been able to
envision my career as a young woman. What falls into an
overarching category in all of this, I would say, is the psychology behind user behaviors, which is a general asset t ]