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Find out more about Lindsay

• Can you tell us about your first experience using a computer?

  My first experience using a computer was in grade school. I used to take typing lessons as part of my elementary school curriculum and we were graded on our typing accuracy and speed. I wish it was something a little more exciting than typing lessons, but it provided a solid foundation.

• What is the technological evolution that has marked you most and what will be, in your eyes, a turning point in this field?

  Machines are only tools and the real value is in the individuals operating them. I could make a case for ChatGPT or the invention of the iPhone being some of the more recent significant technological evolutions. More specifically, the voice-to-function aspect to technology is probably my favorite innovation. I enjoy telling my phone to do something instead of having to dig through a bunch of contacts, apps, etc. A turning point in the field will be the elimination of a need for a cell phone- we are almost there with the invention of wearables, but cell phones becoming an object of the past will be a real landmark.

• Explain your expertise, your interest in it and, more broadly, its importance in the computer world.

  I have extensive experience using excel for a variety of purposes- data mining, formatting, preparation for input to tools like Tableau, visualizations for finance, healthcare, trending, budgeting, etc. Additionally, I use this tool (and all MSO suite products) almost every day and am constantly learning. The continuing education aspect of my teaching informs the elevated level of value I can provide to my students. I am always looking for more efficient and practical ways to provide insight through these tools.

• Do so-called 'visionaries', such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg inspire you or do you have other role models?

  I tend to draw inspiration from those around me and strive to surround myself with multifaceted and multi-talented individuals. There are qualities in many that are inspirational to me, but no one person is doing everything perfectly, and even if they were, I would never want to be derivative or copy someone else's road to success.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  There is no question too small- I once held a an excel workshop for my peers in which someone asked how to select multiple cells at one time. The room erupted in laughter, but I believe learning and IT has no space for judgement.

• What would you say to an uncomfortable person in front of a screen who says that "IT is too complicated"?

  You're not alone, and you're not wrong. IT can be incredibly complicated. However, by determining which tools can make specific goals more attainable, I am hoping to demystify some of these aids and create room for the possibilities to grow. The first step of signing up is one of the most difficult, but by far the most important and rewarding.

• What are your other passions, related or non-related to computers?

  I grew up as equestrian and was around horses daily, competing in showjumping for many years.

• What makes you a Superprof in IT?

  I not only have extensive experience in MSO historically, but use these tools and expand my knowledge of them every day. I tell my students that becoming proficient in the basics allows for exponential growth and makes each learning step easier.