A Heartfelt Thank You to Chandra Burnham: Celebrating Her Journey as ACM-W’s Web Wizard
This month, we are saying farewell and a heartfelt thank you to our web editor, Chandra. Chandra Burnham has made wonderful contributions and has immensely improved the look and feel, and performance of our website. Let’s hear from her.
What initially motivated you to take on the web editor role, and how has the role evolved since you started?
In 2022, I was the website manager for the ACM-W student chapter at the University of Washington (Washington, USA). I helped design graphics and maintain our chapter’s website. I found it a fulfilling and enjoyable experience, so when I graduated, I wanted to stay involved in ACM-W somehow. Coincidentally, there was an opening for the global ACM-W website manager role, which I had the honor of being selected for and have taken on these past two years. At the beginning of my role, I made basic improvements to the site, like updating outdated information or readjusting the layout of certain pages. Later, I took on more complex tasks, including debugging legacy code for custom plugins and implementing entirely new features, such as our ACM-W chapter search tool.
Looking back on your time as the web editor for ACM-W, what are some of the most rewarding experiences you’ve had?
One major challenge that I faced was when I was tasked with investigating legacy code in the backend, which backs some of the plugins and page layouts on the website. For example, there’s lots of custom code written by people whom ACM-W no longer has contact with, so I had to independently figure out how those features worked and how to make my change in such a way that avoids impacting other areas of the site. However, I eventually learned my way around after spending some time on it! I feel that the effort that I put into understanding the work that has been done before me and being able to improve upon it has evolved into a very rewarding aspect of my experience as the website manager. Moreover, it has also been a valuable skill to exercise for my day job as a software engineer.
What have you learned from collaborating with the ACM-W team, and how has this shaped your approach to your work?
As the website manager, I was part of the ACM-W Communications Committee. I enjoyed getting feedback from the Communications Co-chairs on my progress on the site, along with their ideas for what I could look into next. At first, I worked on random, miscellaneous tasks while getting acquainted with my role and the website technology. As I became more experienced, I gradually learned how to organize my work. Each month, we would meet as a team and discuss our progress. The Co-chairs would talk about the higher-level strategy and direction that ACM-W was pursuing, such as upcoming initiatives for our members to engage in or problems that needed to be solved. I appreciated their thoroughness in these discussions, as it helped me to understand how my work on the website would align with the organization’s goals and prioritize my work effectively.
As you move on to new opportunities, what advice would you give to your successor or anyone interested in a similar role?
My advice would be to reach out for help when you need it and to know that you’re not on your own! There was a time that I got stuck, and I was fortunate to connect with the former Communications Chair, Bettina Bair, who had also done significant work on the site before me. She guided me through many of the more obscure layers of the website, which I wouldn’t have been able to figure out on my own. I appreciated the great lengths she went to to ensure I could succeed in my role. I was happy to know that the ACM-W leadership team, both past and present, is so supportive and ready to help each other out.
Finally, what will you miss most about working with ACM-W, and what are your hopes for the organization moving forward?
I enjoyed working with the ACM-W Communications Committee, and it was inspiring for me to be surrounded by other passionate volunteers who dedicate so much effort to improving the way we communicate news, events, awards, and other information with the ACM-W community. Being a website manager was also an amazing opportunity to make an impact on the thousands of ACM-W members worldwide who visit the website. I’m very happy that I had the chance to contribute to ACM-W’s mission of uplifting women in computing; I hope to see the organization expand into new regions across the globe and continue its efforts for many years to come.
You’ve heard from her! A great opportunity is now open as we will be looking for a new volunteer to maintain the ACM-W website (women.acm.org). To learn more, visit our recruitment page.