Keisha Gittens is one of Revelry’s talented, passionate software engineers. We quizzed her lately with the goal of finding out what makes her tick.
How would you describe yourself? Quirky, empathetic, a foodie, and a traveler.
How would your best friend describe you? Witty (that’s really what they said). They then went on to say “a spontaneous person who loves to eat and dance” (lol). They’re not completely wrong, but spontaneous is a bit of a stretch.
Where are you from? I was born and raised in New Orleans
What were you like in high school? Nerdy. Kind of shy, but also friendly, dramatic (everything was a catastrophic-level event), silly/giggly, a dancer, and a lover of people and how they interact with each other.
What school did you go to? I went to McMain Secondary School here in New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina hit my junior year, so I didn’t get to graduate from there, but I’m still a Mustang.
Favorite college memory? Graduating!
Tell me more about that one wild or wacky job you held. I tried being a “shot girl” on Bourbon Street for like a day.
What do you do at Revelry? I’m a Software Engineer, which is kind of “Wow” to say considering I was a PACU nurse a year ago.
What’s the best thing about your job? That I genuinely get to “figure shit out” for a living.
What was the path that got you to Revelry? Backing up a bit, I was a nurse before getting into tech. 2020 was a rough year in healthcare and, having gone through the events of that year, it really pushed me to seek out something new. My husband and I both quit our jobs in 2021 and signed up for General Assembly’s SEI course. After finishing that, I taught at GA while applying for jobs – one of them being Revelry’s Apprenticeship program. Revelry was actually my first tech interview, I was crazy nervous, but Allison and Dan were really easy to interview with and it worked out. I started my apprenticeship in June 2022 and was offered a full-time position that September! (Special shoutout to Jeff Ramos! He literally helped me and my husband land our first positions in the tech field. Forever grateful to him.)
What stood out about Revelry that drove your decision to join the company? In all honesty, being at Revelry has been sort of an uncomfortable experience for me. I’m challenged daily, pushed out of my comfort zone, and in an environment that is completely different from most that I’ve experienced. But in being here, I’ve been able to see myself grow every day. I learn something new, I hear a new perspective, I get to explore something of interest, and I’m tackling the uncomfortable. It’s been cool to see myself continue on this journey, and my goal is to keep showing up. Revelry is also a New Orleans-grown company that’s advancing the tech space out here. I can get behind that.
What’s your favorite Slack channel at Revelry? #wellness
What’s your favorite emoji in the Revelry Slack? :panda-dance:
What is your programming language of choice? Sorry guys, Javascript.
Which of your daily work tools is your favorite? Rectangle App. It lets me get so much on the screen.
What non-digital product could you not live without? My hair tie.
What is your favorite productivity hack? Scheduling things. When I’m feeling “productive,” I’ll schedule out my upcoming week, taking note of goals for the week, and dividing those tasks through the days. Keeps me directed.
Who inspires you and why? My aunt, Dr. Vyoone Lewis. Here she is if you’d like to meet her. She’s an incredible woman and I’m super proud of her and everything that she is.
Tell me more about your interests. I love so many things like traveling, spending time with loved ones, yoga, dancing, music, baking, nature shows, and trying to keep my plant alive.
What could you talk about for days if you climbed up on your soapbox? I’d likely end up rambling on about a million things, but if I had to choose one, I’d say yoga. I love what it has done for me in improving how active I am, but I also love sharing it with other people.
What’s the last thing you watched on TV and why did you choose to watch it? Abbott Elementary, because it’s hilarious and comforting to watch; The Astronomy Club, also hilarious; Black AF, really good watch; and The Last of Us (If you’ve played the game then you understand.)
Favorite place to eat in New Orleans? Red Fish Grill. I was a waitress there in college. Great food and the Double Chocolate Bread Pudding is incredible
Favorite parade? Zulu
Jazz Fest or Mardi Gras? Mardi Gras
Favorite thing about New Orleans? The people! This is home and New Orleans people together feels like one big family.