Spark! Alum, Where Are They Now? – Fiona Whittington

“TechTogether truly would not be where it is today without her (Ziba Cranmer’s) support.”

Spark! alum are growing the fire ignited at Boston University and applying it to the world at large. 

Fiona Whittington took what was once a simple idea for an organization and transformed it to the nation’s largest equity-driven hackathon. Now the Spark! alumni is sharing where it all began and what to expect from her in the future.

Please describe your position and what you do for work.

Fiona: “I am the executive director of TechTogether. TechTogether, the nation’s largest initiative to address the gender inequities in the hackathon community, supports over 10,000 hackers. TechTogether is credited with increasing the gender diversity of the hackathon community by 18% from 2019 to 2020.

As the executive director, I am responsible for overseeing the administration, programs, and strategic plan of the organization.”

How did Spark!, help get you there?

Fiona: “Helping Ziba get BU Spark! off the ground in its early days taught me all of the basics of starting an organization. Ziba taught me about branding, stakeholder engagement, and the importance of community. She pushed me to keep working on TechTogether back when it was still SheHacks even when it meant spending less time on BU Spark! work. TechTogether truly would not be where it is today without her support.”

What is your proudest moment in terms of your career?

Fiona: “My proudest moment was giving a talk on Capitol Hill about TechTogether in front of my grandma and mother.”

What piece of advice do you wish someone gave you in undergrad?

Fiona: “Don’t let failure stop you from your academic pursuits. I know so many computer science majors/minors that thought they should drop out because they failed one class. Don’t let one setback define your entire academic experience.”

Connect with Fiona on LinkedIn.