Get to know Connie Haynes, WIT’s new Chief Impact Officer
Connie Haynes recently joined WIT as our new Chief Impact Officer after 17 years leading and expanding world-class programming at Georgia FIRST Robotics. Connie, who began her career as a science teacher, brings valuable experience in tech programming and nonprofit management to the WIT team, as well as boundless enthusiasm for helping more women succeed in tech.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Connie is the first person to hold the position of Chief Impact Officer, but she isn’t new to the WIT community — she’s a former WIT Woman of the Year award winner. We sat down with her recently to learn about her and her new role on the WIT team.
What sparked your own interest in technology?
My dad could fix anything, and he always included me — whether it was changing the oil on our car, fixing a transmission, or helping to build a house. That sparked my love for understanding how things work, but when I graduated high school, I was told I had two options for a career: a teacher or a nurse. While I did start my career as a teacher, I always refused to believe there were limits to what I could accomplish.
How did you first get to know WIT?
Back in 2008, Heather Rocker, who is now WIT’s CEO, was a member of the advisory board at Georgia FIRST Robotics. One of the first conversations we had was about the challenge I was seeing in our organization and the ways WIT could help. We were on a mission to encourage more young people to develop an interest in robotics, and we only had about 3% girls at our events. The support we got from WIT was absolutely invaluable, and just two years later we were up to 36% girls. That’s impact!
How would you describe the role of a Chief Impact Officer?
The thing I love about this position is it gives me a chance to contribute to all parts of the organization. After 17 years at a similarly focused nonprofit, I can say there is not a seat I haven’t been in, from organizing volunteers to meeting with funding partners to setting up event spaces. At WIT, I’m looking forward to using what I’ve learned to make an impact everywhere I can. I want our participants to get all the support they need, our volunteers to feel great about the difference they’re making, and our funders to see the long-term value in their partnership.
What are you most excited about in this new role?
I’m most excited about the opportunity to contribute to this amazing community WIT has built. That’s the key to WIT and the heart of everything we do — a community where women feel they belong, where their ideas and contributions are respected, and where they can build careers that can change the trajectory of their lives.
