Lindsey Wells: Renaissance Woman Comes to Code Through Creativity

Lindsey Wells has had an incredible career that has spanned the bounds of art, performance, communication, business, and technology. She describes this journey:

“I've had a number of different career experiences including working in ASL interpreting, performing arts, arts administration, and small business consulting. I began coding out of curiosity more than anything else, and eventually realized it embodies so many of my interests at once. I love languages, tackling challenges, building/creating, and providing value to others. After much exploration, I just knew this path was the right fit for me.”

“There was certainly a point in time when I never envisioned myself working in software. I’ve always had the desire to work in a creative field, where I could somehow have an impact on people’s lives, even in a small way. For some reason I held this image of programming as a field that would be dry and esoteric – not relevant in day to day life.“

“Now I am working in development not in spite of, but because of my attraction to creative work. Coding itself – beginning with a blank slate and creating something useful out of nothing – is a process that requires curiosity, open-mindedness, logic, empathy, and artfulness. I find the process super engaging and fun. There is so much to learn, and seeing the result of your hard work, knowing what you've built might make someone's day just a little bit easier – that's a great feeling.”

Lindsey is currently working with a team of data scientists and developers to create a web app that aggregates data for tenant's rights advocates in NYC. She describes this role, and the motivations that drive her in her professional pursuits:

“I enjoy creative problem solving, and want to help people in tangible ways. I want to know the work I’m doing is having a measurable impact. And as technology becomes more ubiquitous and accessible, I am excited by the potential for tools that can bring people together and help in our everyday lives – in ways we might not have previously imagined.”

“I also recognize that a career in software development is a career defined by continuous change and growth, and I love the idea of working in a field with a healthy amount of challenge and learning opportunities.”