Her Story
About Heba
I've had a non-traditional path into tech, and I'm really passionate about making opportunities less gate-kept because I've experienced that firsthand. I graduated high school early at 16, started community college at that same age, and built my way into research and internships before transferring to UC Berkeley for computer science. I'm now interning at Google as a software engineering intern. At my community college, I founded the Girls Who Code chapter, served as vice president of the computer science club, and was social media manager of the AI Club. I've also built a huge platform on LinkedIn to create community and help others access information that I wish I had earlier. I'm a very ambitious person who has always wanted to achieve more and not let any outside factors limit what I could see for myself, especially as a hijabi woman in the tech field. I'm really passionate about seeing underrepresented voices be heard because in order for tech to be built for everyone and be socially robust, it needs to be built by everyone. We can't just have one specific group building tech platforms or software that will serve everyone. Mentorship has been huge for me - I would not be where I am today without the fantastic mentors who have supported me, uplifted me, and helped me see my true potential. I'm passionate about giving back to the community and democratizing information.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Heba
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received was to never close any doors for yourself and always keep your options open. I learned this lesson when I initially wanted to graduate high school early but was doubting myself and said I wasn't going to do it, that I would just stay in high school for the four years. However, it was my father who sat me down and told me he could see my potential, that I wasn't being challenged enough in high school, and that I was ready for my career and for life already. I was limiting myself due to self-doubt and my mindset was not being able to see myself in those spaces just yet. So something I always tell someone is be as proactive as possible and don't limit yourself. Don't close doors without even looking inside of them or even knowing what's behind them. Especially as women in the field, we often self-eliminate when it comes to applying to a job, putting ourselves in rooms, or marketing ourselves for certain positions because we have that self-doubt of 'I'm not fully ready yet.' Don't wait to be fully ready, don't close that door for yourself, leave your options open, and just go for it. Persevere, try, and have that strong belief that no matter what, you're going to reach your goal.
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