Ladies Learning Code

The mentors of Intro to Web Design

This Saturday, Ricardo Vazquez and Ryan Bannon will be leading our Intro to Web Design workshop. Scroll down to meet our co-lead instructors and all of the mentors who have kindly volunteered their time and knowledge to our learners!

Co-Lead Instructor: Ricardo Vazquez (@iamrvazquez | Google+)
UI/UX Designer at 500px

What are you passionate about?  “I am most passionate about creating meaning in everything that I do. Whether it be interactive design or development, I have always strived to instill meaning in my work. The best part of being in this community is being able to create and contribute to emerging digital technologies. Now, how exciting is that!?”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “I was a designer, then it all got too static. I was a developer, then it all got too abstract. I became both, and found perfect harmony. I want to help the tech community to recruit eager minds to find their own harmony in this field. Whether it be HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Ruby, or a CMS, I want to help individuals achieve goals they never thought possible in the past. Thanks to Ladies Learning Code, it now is.”

Co-Lead Instructor: Ryan Bannon (@RdBannon | www.playgroundinc.com)
Partner at @PlaygroundInc, a user experience design agency

A perpetual student of the world and graduate of the Creative Advertising program at Seneca College. In September of 2009 Ryan helped co-found Playground Inc. a user-experience design agency in the heart of Toronto. Day to day he works with web startups to help align their user-experience with business goals. In his short career Ryan has been lead designer on many innovative projects. One such project, Toronto Standard, won the Canadian Online Publishing Award for design of the year and was shortlisted by .Net Magazine(@netmag) for site of the year.  His involvement with Ladies Learning Code comes from a passion for the magic of hands-on practical learning and the drive for Toronto to be one of the best places in the world to make the web. If you have any questions or just want to say hi, you can reach him at ryan[at]playgroundinc.com or@rdbannon on Twitter.

Rene Vega
Senior Web Developer – Team Lead at Torstar Digital

What are you passionate about?  “Supporting high profile businesses using web technologies to improve their brand presence and revenue.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “It’s key for new people that want to be successful in the Web Development field to get hands on experience with real life working situations as soon as possible. Now that I have such experience I want to give back the favor to enthusiasts eager to learn.”

Tiffany Shand (@TASDesigns | http://www.tasdesigns.ca)
Freelance Web Designer at TAS Designs

What are you passionate about?  ““Tablet” friendly websites, baking, and travelling.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code? ”It’s great to come together with other ladies who also enjoy coding and designing.”

Marion Green (@paper_starz | http://mariongreen.ca)
Web Designer at Bell Media

What are you passionate about? ”I am passionate about art, design, and of course, everything web. Along with my job, I continue to work freelance on various design and art projects. I stay active in the art community by participating in gallery events and collaborating with other artists.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code? “I would love to get involved with Ladies Learning Code because I believe education and technology should be available and affordable to everyone. I want to take what I have learned over the years, and help others achieve their goals. ”

Janis Yee (@pdxd| http://www.pdx.ca)
Freelance Digital Graphic Designer.

What are you passionate about?  ” I love keeping up to date with current digital trends and seeing innovation happen all around me.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “I enjoy learning how to teach others – sharing my knowledge is highly self rewarding.”

Kevin Lee (@livekeen | http://livekeen.com)
Freelance Web Designer

What are you passionate about?  “Web Design, Interesting Startups and Great Conversations.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “I believe the more you teach the more you learn.”

Sofia Eydelman (@sofka_e | http://betacyanin.com)

What are you passionate about?  “Web development and design, helping people, food, nutrition.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “Ladies Learning Code is awesome!! The workshops are super useful and a ton of fun to mentor.”

Drew Minns (@drewisthe| http://robotorpedo.com)
Front End Developer at Mosaic Sales Solutions

What are you passionate about?  “The art of combining code and design to make dreams come true.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code? ”To break down the stereotype that web development is a male-centric world!”

Jennifer Myers (@myersjennifer| www.jennifermyers.ca)
Team Lead at Shaw Media

What are you passionate about?  “Design, Food, Travel, Whitespace, Knowledge, Personal Development, the Planet, did I mention Food?”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code? ”I hope to get involved because I benefit tremendously from my mentors. I have several people that I can bounce ideas off of and learn things from. I find it invaluable and I would like to offer that to someone else.”

Margot Trudell (@margottrudell| silent-t.com)
Freelance graphic, web, and motion designer.

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code? ”I love the idea of getting women and girls more interested in the tech industry, and having a venue and group for them to learn in that isn’t intimidating.”

Stephanie Laba (www.luckyfortune.net)
Student

What are you passionate about?  “Illustration, Animals and Heavy Metal.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code? ”Being a student with LLC and Hackeryou I have seen first hand the good work you guys do. I have nothing but respect for your stances on encouraging woman in the tech sphere and disrupting educating. I’d like to be a part of this. ”

Kristin Nicholson (@bandofgoldk | http://bogportfolio.com/)
Production co-coordinator at TBWA/Toronto

What are you passionate about?  “Making things look good!”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “I’ve been to a few sessions in the past and really enjoyed myself and learned a lot about coding. I feel confident with Illustrator and Photoshop and want to help others navigate their way through it.”

Erika Lucivero (@erikadotlu| www.erika.lu/)
Web Designer at Shaw Media

What are you passionate about?  “I am passionate about design, trends, health & wellness, food, and the alternative healing arts.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “girl power ”

Michelle Li (@miss_michelle| www.michelleli.ca)
Interaction Designer for visual analytics systems at Oculus Info

What are you passionate about?  “Shaping products and interfaces that create meaningful dialogues between people, technology and their environments. Also travel, photography and bicycling.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “I love getting involved and giving back to the community. I think Ladies Learning Code is a great initiative and it’s wonderful to see other ladies excited about technology”

Mustafa Al-Qinneh (@malqinneh| www.malqinneh.com)
Interactive Designer at Teehan+Lax

What are you passionate about?  “Life, events, ideas, people, art, typography, technology, and all things beyond what we can typically see.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “It’s simple; I enjoy helping people.”

Ann Liao (@ann_zilla| www.annzilla.com)
Partner and graphic designer at RadicalRadical Creative

What are you passionate about?  “I love reading blogs and see how people express their talents through all mediums possible. I’m passionate about really moving imagery, beautiful writing and a good designed website that speaks to you.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “My business partner, Conrad Muan, has been helping out with LLC for a while now and I’d love to get involved too.”

Miyuki Fukuma
Senior Web Designer at The Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

What are you passionate about?  “Tea, eating local, train travel, comics, and the web, of course! As a web designer, I’m most happy when what I’m helping to build not only looks great, but is useful, sustainable, and accessible to anyone.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “I’ve always liked sharing my knowledge of web design with others.”

Pierre Marly
Senior Digital Art Director at Teehan+Lax

What are you passionate about?  “I am passionate about graphic design (digital+print), type design, arts in general.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “I got involved through Teehan+Lax, and more specifically through Christina Truong who has been helping with LLC for a year now.”

Ethan Clarke (http://ethanclarke.ca)
Freelancer – Campaign support for organizations doing organizing or campaigns with a specialty in tying online campaigning results into real world results

What are you passionate about?  “All my life I have believed in struggling for social justice. I enjoy hacking systems to make them better, both technological systems and human. We can make a better world and technology will have a role to play in that.”

Why did you get involved with Ladies Learning Code?  “I enjoy technology and I like to share that enthusiasm. I also like to break down the sexist walls that our society creates about who is supposed to do what and LLC is one way of do that.”