Ashley Rae Lee Creates a Career From Creativity and Code

One of the advantages of learning to program is that you don’t have to follow a traditional linear path in life. Ashley Rae Lee proves this point. With a career that includes web development, business consulting, program coordination, campaign management, and fundraising her experience spans both the for profit and non-profit sectors. She’s worked hard to forge her own course, going where her heart takes her as she strives to make a difference in the world.

It’s important to note though, that Ashley’s journey hasn’t always been so clear and easy. She admits that in her early twenties she overcame several challenges and it was only after she got knocked down a few times that she really began to mature professionally. During this professional growth process, Women Who Code played an integral role in helping to educate and inspire her. She was always drawn to San Francisco and felt that the technology industry was where she belonged. However, with a background in women’s studies, she didn’t have the functional expertise to break into the field. By attending WWCode events, classes, and workshops she was able to network with successful women, while learning the skills necessary to pursue her dreams.

Today, Ashley is a self described “Freelance Juggler,” handling consultation, management, and coding projects for a variety of companies. She is an alum of Epicodus, an intensive programming boot camp. One of her recent accomplishments as an Application Developer includes working on a project for Notch8, a prestigious Rails development agency.

While her career has perhaps not been what some would call conventional, Ashley continues to enjoy growing, learning, and developing her skills. When asked what advice she would give to young women looking to enter the tech field she said, “Keep an eye on the bigger picture. Sometimes a bug or a personal project problem can have a pull that's strong enough to feel like it can derail everything you've worked on. Just remember that you've come a long way, and there's a lot farther to go.”