Erica Arnold

I've been working at Microsoft as a product maker for 10 years, and what has always inspired me is being able to take an idea and translate it into something tangible and real. I've always been more of an artsy kid - as long as I can remember, I was building backpacks out of construction paper, making clothes, making up stories, and creating physical, manageable things. When I went to school, I realized I could have a pretty decent career, make enough money to support myself, and exercise my creative processes while feeling empowered to go build things afterwards. That's how I got into mechanical engineering. I originally thought I was going to do environmental engineering, but by a twist of things, I ended up finding myself working in tech instead. I've been very fortunate in a way that all of these special and unique passions throughout my life have actually shown up in my job over the last 10 years, whether it's sustainability, materials science, fashion, accessories, disability, or the arts. I never pictured myself going into tech because I was never a computer geek - that was never me. I was never spending a lot of time behind the screen. But what really shifted things is when I realized how much PCs, laptops, styluses, and other tools empower other people to go ahead and create and bring their visions and dreams to life. It's an essential tool these days, and that's what inspires me now. I love getting to create something tangible from an idea, being a part of that collaborative, creative process of bringing ideas to life, and designing and developing tools that, at the end of the day, really empower other people to achieve their dreams.