Bio:
Jessica is currently a Staff Developer Advocate at GitHub. She previously worked for AWS and Microsoft. Before that, she spent over a decade as an IT Consultant / Systems Administrator for various corporate and enterprise environments, catering to end users and IT professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. Jessica holds three Microsoft Certifications (MCP, MSTS, Azure Infrastructure), 3 (expired) CompTIA certifications (A+, Network+, and Security+), 4 Apple Certifications, and is a former 4-year Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for Windows and Devices for IT. In 2013, she also achieved her FEMA Professional Development Series (PDS) certification from the U.S Department of Homeland Security, which recognizes her communication, leadership, influence, problem solving, and decision making abilities during times of crisis and emergency.
In 2015, she received her P.O.S.T Level 2 Certificate, which made her eligible to apply to serve as a reserve Level 2 Peace Officer in the state of California; the certification expired in 2018 when she chose to focus on her engineering and advocacy career with Microsoft for the time being.
When she’s not doing something geeky, you can find her doing something active with her family, most likely camping or hiking. She also enjoys biking, reading, and hanging with her 11-year-old rescue pup Miley and her 4-year-old Covid puppy, Drake. Yes, both dogs are named after celebrities.