Jenn Schiffer is back! Jenn was the Director of Community at Glitch (acquired by Fastly) for seven years before taking a well-earned break. A beloved figure in the tech space for over a decade, Jenn has inspired countless developers and creatives with her work.
She shared her incredible journey – from working at Outback Steakhouse and taking apart computers in South Brooklyn, to studying computer science and teaching at Montlair State University, and working at the NBA as a Software Developer and being involved with the Women's Prison Association, and ultimately, becoming the face of Glitch, shaping its vibrant community of 3 million developers. Simply put, she's one of the coolest people in tech. When Jenn sent her last email newsletter at Glitch in August, it truly marked the end of an era for our corner of the web.
Needless to say, the Curriculum team at Codédex (Ellie, Julien, Sonny) are huge fans, so we couldn't pass up the chance to ask Jenn some of our burning questions. We chatted about the Glitch/Fastly acquisition, the art of email writing, generative AI, finding hobbies outside of work, YouTube and Pinterest, and why tech – despite all its highs and lows – is still cool as hell.
Lastly, a massive thank you to Jenn for everything you've done for the community and for paving the way for us and Codédex. 🙏
P.S. If you are intested in Creative Coding (art + tech), we have a Digital Garden Monthly Challenge that you can try out!
Show Notes:
(0:00) Intro
(1:36) Life after Glitch
(5:08) Joy of making things
(8:56) CS in the 2000s and NBA Stats
(16:15) The Glitch chapter
(17:52) Staying independent
(23:28) The art of newsletters
(27:12) Public-facing roles
(30:24) Women's Prison Association
(35:02) Favorite part of the sabattical
(40:40) Generative AI stance
(45:57) YouTube, Pinterest, Are.na
(50:10) Plug
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