Meet Our Fall ’14 Full-Time Web Development Bootcamp Students!
2014 has flown by so quickly! Last week, we kicked off our final nine-week full-time front-end web development bootcamp of the year. This fall, our 27 students have backgrounds spanning from journalism to inn-keeping, and bartending to bodybuilding. And even though we’re only one week in, it’s clear why this diverse group was chosen for the program. Allow us to introduce the amazing folks who have joined us for this nine-week adventure:
Andrea Saxe — @AndreaS1986
Graphic designer, front-end developer and lover of all things colour
Born in: Toronto, Ontario
Education: Humber College
Languages spoken: English and some Hebrew
Previous occupation: Catalogue Designer
Fun fact about me: I’d rather have cookies for breakfast than breakfast foods.
Andrew Nguyen — @onlyandrewn
Front-end developer and journalist. Digital storyteller, passionate about drones and data.
Born in: Mississauga, Ontario
Education: BA Communications Studies and Sociology
Languages spoken: English and French
Previous occupation: Journalist
Fun fact about me: I play Quidditch.
Ben Weddel — @benweddel
Business savvy & technologically literate
Born in: Mississauga, Ontario
Education: Wilfrid Laurier BBA
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Marketing
Fun fact about me: I play competitive Platform Tennis (and it has nothing to do with ping pong).
Dana Werpny — @danawerpny
Front-end web developer & graphic designer. Specializing in WordPress and E-Commerce.
Born in: Thunder Bay, Ontario
Education: Communication Studies, York University
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Graphic Designer
Fun fact about me: I once accidentally walked onto a movie set and sat in the background during filming.
Deborah Chan — @debchn
Toronto-based web developer with a passion for music, literature, and science
Born in: Montréal, Québec
Education: BSc in Psychology, U of T
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Research Assistant in Aboriginal Mental Health, U of T
Fun fact about me: When put on the spot, I’m terrible at coming up with fun facts about myself.
Emilia Dallman — @emiliakathleen
Passionate about using my design powers for good.
Born in: Stratford, Ontario
Education: Ryerson University, Fashion Communication
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Freelance Graphic Designer
Fun fact about me: I was a theatre kid, Fiddler on the Roof, 1999, Stratford Festival.
Erika Pierre — @erikapierr
Web developer and wayfarer
Born in: Markham, Ontario
Education: Bachelor of Arts (Cultural Studies), McGill University
Languages spoken: English, French
Previous occupation: Wholesale coordinator, Medisca Pharmaceutique
Fun fact about me: I moved from Montreal to Toronto to attend HackerYou!
Francine Navarro — @francinedev
From cookies to websites, I love making things from scratch.
Born in: The Philippines
Education: B.A. in Media & the Public Interest and Political Science
Languages spoken: English and Tagalog
Previous occupation: Intern and Freelance Graphic Designer
Fun fact about me: I made an iPad case out of an old sketchbook.
Frank Wang — @TheFrankProject
Front-end web developer and glutton for knowledge.
Born in: Toronto, Ontario
Education: BBA
Languages spoken: English, Mandarin Chinese
Previous occupation: Innkeeper
Fun fact about me: I love talking about fitness.
George Balkouras — @georgebalkouras
Front-end web developer, with a passion for music and sustainability.
Born in: Goderich, Ontario
Education: BA in Poli Sci + Lit, Post Grad in Green Business Management
Languages spoken: English and Greek
Previous occupation: Bartender
Fun fact about me: I make an exceptional pecan pie.
Ivailo Ivanov — @TheCodeFather_
Minimalist by day, experimentalist by nature.
Born in: Germiston, South Africa
Education: Woodhill College
Languages spoken: English, Bulgarian, Afrikaans
Previous occupation: Sales Associate
Fun fact about me: I’m a digital hoarder!
Jillian Wallace — @jllwll
Web developer hoping to inspire others through my work.
Born in: Calgary, Alberta
Education: BA in Archaeology, Concentration in Physical Anthropology
Languages spoken: English, French
Previous occupation: Web Trafficker (Ad Operations)
Fun fact about me: Hiking the Inca Trail was the most memorable and breathtaking thing I’ve done.
Julie McCulloch — @mccullochdesign
Graphic Designer + Web Developer
Born in: Brantford, Ontario
Education: Graphic Design and Advertising at Conestoga College
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Graphic Designer at Cushman and Wakefield Ltd.
Fun fact about me: I like to eat breakfast for dinner.
Kristine Planche — @kristineplanche
UI Developer. Graphic Designer. Food Fanatic. Loves to laugh and learn new things.
Born in: Hamilton, Ontario
Education: Specialized BDes with Honours at York University/Sheridan College Program in Design
Languages spoken: Fluent English & Conversational/Fluent French
Previous occupation: Volunteer Designer with Habitat for Humanity Mississauga
Fun fact about me: I’m a klutz and not afraid of it!
Lindsay Hartfiel — @lindsayhartfiel
Curious web developer, designer, writer and digital nomad with an addiction to zumba and coffee shops.
Born in: Hudson, Wisconsin
Education: Journalism (Strat Comm.) — University of Wisconsin-Madison
Languages spoken: English and conversational Spanish
Previous occupation: Contract Marketing Writer and Graphic Designer
Fun fact about me: I ran a mile down 5th Ave in NYC in a bridesmaid’s dress for charity.
Marlène Giraud — @marlenegiraud
Front-end developer + UX-UI Designer. Also into DIY, Vintage design, and Music
Born in: France
Education: Master’s degree in Management of New Technologies
Languages spoken: French, English, Italian
Previous occupation: Web Producer at Publicis
Fun fact about me: Last summer I spent 10 days without talking as part of a meditation training.
Matt Fairley — @mattfairley_
Web developer who loves creating and sharing cool things.
Born in: Toronto, Ontario
Education: Brock University then Sheridan
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Journalist
Fun fact about me: I have an actual university degree in pop culture.
Michael Yambao — @jelotweets
My other car is a giant robot.
Born in: Tayabas, Philippines
Education: Psych/Bio
Languages spoken: English, Tagalog/Filipino, “anime-level” Japanese
Previous occupation: Researcher/Lab Assistant
Fun fact about me: I like film photography unironically.
Moya Miller — @moyamiller
Front-end web developer. Content marketing specialist. Autodidact.
Born in: Bedford, England
Education: Honors Bachelor of Arts, Media and the Public Interest, UWO
Languages spoken: English, French
Previous occupation: Senior Digital Associate, Weber Shandwick
Fun fact about me: I love to make things. I dabble in jewelry-making, quilting, knitting, gardening and anything related to chocolate.
Nikin Nagewadia — @nikin_n
KEEP CALM and CODE ON
Born in: Etobicoke, Ontario
Education: Carleton University + Sheridan College + OCAD
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Graphic Designer + Print Centre Technician
Fun fact about me: I have a great appetite towards checking out anything new and innovative. Whether it be: film, music, technology, food and craft beer.
Phil Richards — @phrichards
Librarian turned web developer who wants to make it easier for people to find information on the web.
Born in: Toronto, Ontario
Education: Master of Information Studies
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Data Analyst
Fun fact about me: I once went crab fishing in the Pacific Ocean.
Rachel Bloom — @rachelblm
Web Developer | Freelance Journalist/Photographer | Former Intern for CBC, The Coast and Post City
Born in: Newmarket, Ontario
Education: BJH (Bachelor of Journalism Honours), University of King’s College
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Freelance Journalist/Journalism Student
Fun fact about me: I have interviewed Rob Baker from the Tragically Hip and Loel Campbell from Wintersleep.
Samuel Chun — @samuel_chun
Designer that loves to code.
Born in: Toronto, Ontario
Education: George Brown College School of Design
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Graphic Designer
Fun fact about me: I like to watch re-runs of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air whenever I’m sick.
Shane Keulen — @seethruhead
Tech Nerd, Web Developer. Passionate about making the world better with technology. Front-End tooling and Grid enthusiast.
Born in: Toronto, Ontario
Education: Starfleet Academy
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: Bartender
Fun fact about me: I’m a fan of plumbing my computers.
Stephanie Celani — @stessyco
Virtual construction worker
Born in: Etobicoke, Ontario
Education: University of Toronto (B.A.), OCAD
Languages spoken: English, Italian
Previous occupation: Bodybuilder
Fun fact about me: I have a practically religious affiliation with salami.
Sylvia Nguyen — @sylviacreates
web developer, singer/songwriter, occasional meower
Born in: Brampton, Ontario
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies, York University
Languages spoken: English and Vietnamese
Previous occupation: Brand Partnerships Intern at Bell Media Inc.
Fun fact about me: I was featured on a reality TV episode on a show called DisBAND on MuchMusic and my band and I got DISbanded *womp womp
Thomas Mattacchione — @TMattacchione
He was deadly on the ground. Now he has wings.
Born in: March
Education: Yes
Languages spoken: English
Previous occupation: IT Sales
Fun fact about me: I race pigeons.
Wish you were part of this amazing group?
We still have a few spots left for our Winter 2015 cohort! It begins on January 19th and will be led by a very talented team: Wes Bos, Brenna O’Brien, Drew Minns and others. Click here to learn more or apply.
