Meet the Newest Hack Upstate Team Members!
We recently added two new members to our Hack Upstate operations team, and we couldn’t be more excited to introduce them to our community. Dana McMullen & Jennifer Tran are already helping to plan our first virtual hackathon, Hack Upstate XV, happening on October 3–4, 2020.
Read on to learn more about our newest team-members and be sure to give them a warm welcome at our virtual event!
Dana McMullen
Tell us a little bit about yourself
If I had to sum up who I am in a few words, I would say that I’m a laid-back person who has a high desire to succeed. I wake up just about every day ready to do “something.” So lying in bed and watching tv all day isn’t for me. I’m also fun-loving, can be a bit of a daredevil, but I’m very easy to get along with. To have a friend in me is to have a friend for life because I’m very loyal.
I like to say, “If you can’t use technology to help mankind, then what is it all for?” Hence, most of my career was spent helping college students with all types of disabilities utilize specialized technology to read and write. My career has taken me into a few different professions, but I enjoy the ones where I’m able to use technology to help people with their everyday lives.
Regarding technology, well, I’ve been in love with computer technology since I was in the sixth grade. So, without telling my exact age, that would be somewhere around the late ’70s. I must admit, though, it wasn’t my first choice as a profession. I wanted to be a hairdresser/fashion stylist. Unfortunately, what stood in the way was my very strict mother, who believed that pursuing this career would be a waste of my young mind.
Consequently, she teamed up with my high school guidance counselor, and together, they made sure that I stayed focused on STEM classes. I can laugh about it now, but at the time, I was extremely upset about it. I’m so grateful to them for doing this because it set me on a career path that allowed me to do amazing work using technology to help people with disabilities, have my own technology business, and now also be a part of the Hack Upstate team.
I didn’t start out studying computers or programming when I enrolled in college. I spent a year at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School studying journalism and then eventually studied Human Services at Onondaga Community College. A year later, I switched majors again and enrolled in the Computer Information Systems with Web Design as my concentration.
With a semester left before graduation, I was offered an opportunity to be the Academic Coordinator of Assistive Technology at Syracuse University. A few years later, I was offered an opportunity to create the Assistive Technology Department from the ground up at Onondaga Community College. Because I was successful in deploying assistive technologies across campus and providing training for staff and students, I was awarded OCC’s Paragon Award for Creative Use of Technology in 2006.
During this time, I became certified to teach and support blind and visually impaired individuals on how to use a computer. As a result, I provided my services to the New York State Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Referrals from this agency allowed me to provide assistive technology services to Cornell University, the Little Falls School District, and the Baldwinsville School District. My specialty was providing instruction to blind and visually impaired individuals. I also became an expert content creator in making academic reading materials accessible for the web, in Word or regular text form, and as PDF files. I also became well versed in creating Braille textbooks as well as accessible math materials.
As an educator and administrator, I’ve learned that it’s essential to treat people how you want to be treated or better. You can be smart, but your students and customers won’t come back if you’re impatient or mistreat them. I’m a wiser, kinder, and more patient person due to my experiences.
I’m most proud to be a mom to my three daughters and a grandmother to my three grandkids. During our family time together, I make them roller-skate with me, watch Marvel movies, Star Wars, X-Men, and Martial Arts movies. I find it humorous that they tolerate my unconventional ways of staying entertained and having fun.
I think what’s most interesting about me is that in the early 90’s I lived in Germany for about a year. People in Germany were very friendly, which made me not miss living in the United States. Eventually, I became involved with the local youth center as a volunteer cheerleading coach. As a result, I was able to travel all over the region, visiting places like the great Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate, the Russian Sector, Hitler’s bunker, and actual gas chambers where Jewish people were killed during the holocaust.
In my free time, I like to attend technology meetups, dance, read, sew, and continually learn how to do new things.
How did you get involved with Hack Upstate?
It was through the organizers, Jesse Peplinski and Doug Crescenzi. Before my involvement in Hack Upstate, Jesse interviewed me for the Careers in Code program in Syracuse, New York. I was skeptical that I would be selected, but I’m happy to say that I was. If you fast forward to about a year after graduation, Jesse became the catalyst for Jennifer Tran and me to start a Syracuse chapter of Major of League Hacking. He participated in one of our hackathon events and witnessed how we successfully pulled it together. I believe this prompted him and the Hack Upstate crew to ask Jennifer and me to help organize hackathons for Hack Upstate. I jumped at the chance to be involved!
What aspect of helping to organize Hack Upstate are you most excited about?
Honestly, I’m excited about all of it! It’s an opportunity to help reimagine, reengineer, and create a virtual hackathon experience. My goal is that it be seamless, engaging, and continue to promote a sense of community in the same way or better than the in-person events. Learning more about the tools to help facilitate this process is even more exciting!
What are you most looking forward to in the Syracuse tech scene?
1. I would love to see a continuation of programs like Careers in Code that act as a pipeline to get more women and minorities involved in tech
2. As the pandemic continues to play out, I look forward to the Syracuse tech community’s continuing efforts to reach out and provide guidance/instruction on how to work and play remotely
3. I would love to see more paid opportunities for entry-level coders/programmers to enter the workforce that fosters an environment of continuous learning while on the job
4. I would love to see more diversity within the workforce of our local tech companies
What do you do outside of Hack Upstate?
I love spending time with my family playing games and being nosey by always finding out what they’re doing at work or at school. I braid hair really well, so my daughters often have me do their hair in the latest braid styles.
When I’m outdoors, I like to explore, so I ride my bike or walk around the downtown area exploring all the new shops and restaurants.
And because I consider myself a life-long learner, I’ve signed up for some online computer courses that I’m currently taking. My goal is to have all of them finished by the summer of next year.
Jennifer Tran
Tell us a little bit about yourself
I am a Gitcoin KERNEL Fellow, an 8-week fellowship for talent looking to build relationships, products, and companies in blockchain and Web 3. I am currently building DFAME, a decentralized app that brings brands and fans together and fosters stronger, fan-centric relationships than just from transactional product purchases.
I am very involved with the Syracuse tech community and help co-organize Women in Coding and Code for Syracuse.
I historically came from a logistics and supply chain background, working at one of the largest supply chain companies in the world before I worked in software development. The industry still very much interests me and I still feel very much a part of it.
How did you get involved with Hack Upstate?
In October 2017, I was looking for things to do in Downtown Syracuse and randomly found the Hack Upstate Demo Day on Meetup. I found it really interesting and initially thought it was an event for startup pitches but it turned out that it was the demos / presentations of Hack Upstate’s bi-annual hackathon. I was moved and inspired by the possibility of building a tech product in 24 hours and how approachable software development was compared to what I was exposed to in college. I immediately pursued software development in hopes of tackling issues that I faced in my then logistics profession.
Ever since my somewhat random encounter with Hack Upstate, I have been involved with Hack Upstate’s programs and events in various capacities. I’ve participated in every Hack Upstate hackathon including Hack Mohawk Valley since April 2018 and also won several prizes. I worked as a teaching assistant for Careers in Code for Module 1 for the first cohort. I avidly attend Hack Upstate sponsored meetups as well as co-organize HU-sponsored Women in Coding and Code for Syracuse.
In October 2018 and January 2019, Dana McMullen and I hosted mini-technology conferences centered around exposing beginners to coding and getting them involved in hackathons (that was also sponsored by HU!). Hack Upstate saw how we successfully ran the events and wanted us to join their hackathon team! We gladly accepted!
What aspect of helping to organize Hack Upstate are you most excited about?
I am most excited about changing the narrative about the lack of opportunities in tech and entrepreneurship in Syracuse.
After I graduated from college out-of-state, people questioned why I moved back to Syracuse due to the negative perceptions that many people still had about the quality of life in post-industrial cities. I have proved that I can become a successful professional in Syracuse while living a fulfilling, happy, and balanced life.
There are growing opportunities in the area including the expansion of the Tech Garden and GENIUS NY competition, CNY Biotech Accelerator, and growing number of tech meetups. This year’s Hack Upstate theme centers around showing how CNY is a great place to work and live and it’s our time to showcase the opportunities that people can take advantage of.
What are you most looking forward to in the Syracuse tech scene?
I am looking forward to seeing Syracuse connect with the national, broader tech community. I think that in order to bring Syracuse to the next level with opportunities is to connect the city with regional cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, Binghamton, and Albany, as well as making more remote connections with tech hubs such as New York, Boston, and San Francisco.
I am really excited to see our meetups that are part of a national network such as Code for Syracuse and Women in Machine Learning and Data Science to connect with their national organizations and other chapters.
I hope that now we have more opportunities to work remotely that more talent in Syracuse can join software development teams at internationally-recognized companies and more tech talent will move to Syracuse!
What do you do outside of Hack Upstate?
With the remaining free time that I have after hosting meetups (which is not a lot):
I listen to a lot of podcasts and read a lot of articles about the logistics industry. I actually have a notebook of interesting logistics concepts and trends that I treasure a lot!
I am a fan of Korean pop and Asian pop music in general. In order to avoid wasting time, I also use my listening to learn Korean and enhance my Vietnamese skills.
I am a member of the Syracuse French Language Meetup and like to watch Quebec movies and read about Quebec history.
Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, I was an avid explorer of Syracuse and the surrounding area. I often read articles and books about the history of Syracuse and try to visit sites of historical significance.
I aim to read a book a month, usually about societal challenges — I recently finished The Yellow House by Sarah Broom, a memoir that highlighted the historical racial and socioeconomic inequalities in New Orleans that led to heightened disparities post-Hurricane Katrina.
