Reshma Saujani

Founder of Girls Who Code & Marshall Plan for Moms

Lifespan 1975–

Technical Depth beginner

Key Breakthrough Girls Who Code Global Movement & Inclusive Coding Pedagogy (2012)

Focus Areas

cs education advocacy workforce inclusion

Topic Keywords

#education #girls-who-code #cs-education #advocacy #pipeline

Source: Historical Biographical Archive / Wikimedia Commons

Reshma Saujani

Founder of Girls Who Code & Marshall Plan for Moms

Biographical Overview

American author, activist, and founder of Girls Who Code. Founded in 2012, Girls Who Code has taught computer science to over 500,000 girls and young women across public schools and university loops, fundamentally shifting the demographic pipeline of software engineering in North America.

"We have to teach girls bravery, not perfection. In programming, you fail ten times before the code runs—and that failure is where learning begins."
— Reshma Saujani

Lifespan 1975–

Technical Depth beginner

Key Breakthrough Girls Who Code Global Movement & Inclusive Coding Pedagogy (2012)

Focus Areas

cs education advocacy workforce inclusion

Topic Keywords

#education #girls-who-code #cs-education #advocacy #pipeline

Source: Historical Biographical Archive / Wikimedia Commons

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Historical Context & Impact

In short

In 2010, Saujani ran for U.S. Congress in New York and lost badly, winning just 19% of the vote. But on the campaign trail, she saw computer labs filled almost exclusively with boys. She turned her defeat into purpose, launching the first Girls Who Code club with just twenty girls in a rented conference room.

Key Technical Breakthroughs & Inventions

Founding Girls Who Code (2012) Built an international educational non-profit that has educated over 500,000 girls and non-binary students in web development, algorithms, robotics, and cybersecurity.

"Teach Girls Bravery, Not Perfection" Sparked a cultural transformation through viral TED lectures and books, urging girls to embrace trial-and-error debugging and risk-taking in technical careers.

College Loops & Corporate Career Pipelines Built institutional recruitment bridges with major tech firms, resulting in Girls Who Code alumni earning computer science degrees at three times the US national average rate.

The Marshall Plan for Moms / Moms First Founded Moms First to advocate for national childcare infrastructure, paid leave, and systemic support for women working in technology.