Dina L. Northcutt

I attribute my success to just taking initiative and not letting fear or self-doubt stop me. When I was a teenager, I started reaching out directly to CEOs, buying them lunch, and asking how I could get into their organizations or help them succeed. I've always believed that if you want to do something, you just have to do it. You don't need to wait for the perfect credentials or the right amount of money. I wanted to be a chef but didn't have money for culinary school, so I volunteered to teach cooking classes, worked for free, and shadowed people. When I wanted to get into the wine industry, I sent my resume everywhere saying I had no experience, and I got hired at Chateau Montelena, the winery that put California on the map at the Paris tasting. I feel like Forrest Gump in a way. You have to take the opportunities you're given and blow them out into something bigger. A lot of times people let things get in their way and talk themselves out of opportunities. They think they need a degree or certification first, but really, what you need to do is just say, what do you got to lose? I've been shot down a thousand times, but you just move on to the next thing. Even now, I'm speaking at conferences because I wrote up a proposal for why I should be a speaker, and they accepted it. My manager for many years also taught me the importance of continuous learning. He'd give me projects that tested my knowledge and added new tools to my toolbox. Success comes from learning by doing, overcoming your personal blocks and limiting beliefs, and being true to yourself instead of living for somebody else.

The best career advice I received came from my manager who I worked with for about seven or eight years, starting in 1999. He had this saying about giving me 'new tools for your toolbox.' He would always say that sometimes there are things we don't like to do, but after I finished those tasks, he'd give me a fun project to work on that would test my knowledge and teach me something new. He saw my strengths and kept giving me opportunities to grow in those areas. But he also made sure I was learning beyond just what was required. He'd tell me, if there's something different that you want to learn besides this, let me know, and I'll see what we can do to get you signed up for a class. Even though he had initiatives he needed me to complete, he balanced that with projects that expanded my skills and kept me engaged. That approach of continuous learning and building your toolbox of skills really shaped how I've approached my career.

My advice is to be fearless and just do it. If there's something you're really interested in doing, don't let the lack of formal schooling or money stop you. I wanted to be a chef and didn't have money for culinary school, so I volunteered to do cooking classes, volunteered to learn more, and volunteered to work for free, shadowing people. Yes, there's not a lot of money in that, but you're gaining the experience. You might fail, and you might not end up where you originally thought. I always wanted to be a comic actress and got an associate arts degree in dramatic arts, but that just wasn't in the cards. So now I volunteer to do silly stand-up and perform. The point is to pursue whatever interests you have, try things, and don't be afraid. You have to be true to yourself and not live your life for somebody else. I've seen this with my niece who had a contract with Sony Music when she was young. Her parents wanted her to go into medicine, but I told her to take a year and do what she loves. There's no reason you can't do both. A lot of people, and I'm guilty of it too, think they're in love and follow somebody, and then their dreams are gone when that person leaves. You have to say, screw it, I'm not going to listen to these other people. I'm going to do what I want to do. You only have one life, and you can't live it for somebody else. Don't wait for perfect credentials. Just start doing the work, gain real-world experience, and keep building your skills.

Dina identifies rapidly evolving technology and accessibility standards as ongoing challenges in web development, requiring continuous learning and adaptability. At the same time, she sees tremendous opportunity in the growing awareness around digital accessibility and inclusive design. In the culinary space, she recognizes increasing interest in experiential learning and cultural immersion as strong opportunities for creative expansion.

The most important value to me is inclusivity. I believe everything should be open and available to everyone, not just people with money or perfect credentials. That's why I focus on ADA compliance in my web work, making sure digital platforms are accessible to all users. It's also why I'm organizing cooking classes at Julia Child's house for $3,800 instead of the usual $11,000, so more people can have that experience. When I walked into Julia Child's kitchen, people were crying, including me, because it's such an iconic place, and I think everyone should have access to experiences like that. I also value perseverance and not letting obstacles stop you. I have dyscalculia and see numbers backwards, which has always given me learning difficulties, but I've used that to shape how I teach. I tailor my training classes, whether for ADA compliance or cooking demonstrations, to different types of learners because I understand what it's like to learn differently. Another core value is removing blocks and limiting beliefs. I want people to try and remove any blocks that are in their way. I've had those blocks too, and I just asked myself, what's stopping me? I believe in taking action, being fearless, and pursuing your passions wholeheartedly. You can't wait for perfect timing or credentials. You have to be true to yourself and not live your life for somebody else. I'm always smiling and happy, and I welcome new thoughts and ideas and people. I'm not snobby. I give people my number and tell them to call me if they get stuck on a recipe, any time of day. That openness and willingness to help others is really important to me.