Leah Larson

Background

About Leah Larson

As a child, I would attempt to take apart every Lego set, toy, gadget, or gizmo in an attempt to understand exactly how they worked. Some I broke, some I put back together, but I learned something from all of them. As I grew older, I turned that same analytical mindset towards my skills and ways I could improve. I wanted to hone my communication skills; I became a nationally ranked competitive debater, worked in retail training and management, and earned a B.A. in English Writing. I was able to run my own publications dedicated to giving space to marginalized populations while still amplifying my own voice. I changed from being unable to give a speech to being interviewed live on TV with a only few hours' notice. As time went on, that wasn't enough for me. I transitioned to working in disability insurance; there I translated my previous retail training into corporate training, evaluated incoming insurance documentation, and developed processes for digitizing and archiving thousands of insurance claims. However, it still didn't quite scratch that analytical itch that seemed to plague my brain. Now, I'm finally turning to a field that I've always been curious about but never been able to fully explore. I get to break down code to figure out how it works, much like the toys of days past. I hope to leverage all of my past experience as a Junior Developer, continue to make space for other queer women like me, and forever scratch that inquisitive itch.