Influential Woman · Software Design

Marina Rambo

User Experience Design Leader, DPR Construction

Tampa, FL 33618

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Associate's Degree in Web Design Degree Bachelor's Degree in Applied Science and Information Technology with Specialization in Project Management and Minor in Sociology Degree Executive MBA Member Advisory Board for Women in Leadership with AI at Webber International University

Her Story

About Marina

My career in technology has been anything but traditional. I wrote my first website back in the 1990s, but I didn't realize it could be more than a hobby until much later. Before technology, I did everything from being a firefighter to working as a pastry chef. It actually took a car accident to make me re-evaluate what I was doing for a living, and that's when I took something that was a passion and a hobby and turned it into my career. I didn't start college until I was in my 30s, and I did all of my degrees while working full-time - an Associate's in Web Design, a Bachelor's in Applied Science and Information Technology with a specialization in project management and a minor in sociology, and an Executive MBA. During my bachelor's, I was actually running a web design company and taking care of a child all at once. I didn't take the traditional path, but because of the different experiences I've had, it actually makes me more able to empathize, which is the first step in design thinking - that empathize step before you even define or ideate on the problem. My main area of expertise is understanding complex business workflows, understanding how software is currently being used in a business, and then creating software that solves the problems that exist in the workflow today, so that people can work better tomorrow. One of the achievements I'm most proud of was during COVID when I worked for a medical electronic health records company. We built telehealth applications that interfaced with all of our electronic health records and practice management systems. I led the design, the conceptuals, all of the integration on that project, and we worked day and night because we all felt like we didn't have control over the world around us, and this was one thing that we could really pour ourselves into and create something that helped a lot of people.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Marina

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would say it's a combination of preparation and, you know, right place, right time, and a willingness to just say, why not? Yes, let's try that. You can't get anywhere without preparing for it, but sometimes, no matter how hard you prepare, it's hard to find yourself in the right place to actually use your preparation. Especially in today's job market, I think a lot of people are finding themselves in that situation. So, it's really been a combination of preparation and the right time, the right place, making the right connections, or just sheer luck.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

It sounds so cliche, but do what you love and the money will follow. When I started doing technology for a living, I didn't know how I was going to turn it into a living, and I mean, for years now, I've made more than my husband, and he's very supportive of that. He's still waiting for me to support him in a lifestyle he can become accustomed to, but we haven't quite gotten there yet. If you aim for a career that's just gonna be high paying, you're always gonna be chasing a dollar. If you aim for something that you actually are interested in and enjoy doing, your days go by. And there's really no sure bet as to a specific job that's gonna be completely secure. So, like, aiming for the safe bet will probably always get you in a place of disappointment. Take a risk. Aim for what you're passionate about.

03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I would say honesty. Some of my team members have joked that they really enjoy working for me because they can see I'm very transparent - they know that, and they can see it on my face. They can see how transparent I am. I kind of wear my heart on my sleeve. But I think honesty and willingness to grow and learn, especially because in technology, the only way that you can stay current is by continually learning, because it's constantly evolving. And with the introduction of the large language models, it's really just been incredibly rapid, the way technology is changing in the technology field, much less outside. So, people with a willingness to learn and continually grow, it's really, really important, which is probably why I read so much.

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