Meet Elaine Hsieh

How did you learn about PDXWIT and what keeps you coming back? 

I learned about PDXWIT at an American Marketing Association luncheon where Megan Bigelow was presenting "State of the Portland Community: Where Marketing & Tech Stand in Our City." The findings were astounding and it compelled me to attend the very next PDWXIT hosted event. The energy of the community, informative speakers, and the mission and goals of the organization is what makes me come back every time. 

Can you give us some background on your career in a supporting role for Tech? Did you intend this career path? 

My background has always been in sales, marketing, hospitality, and/or event planning. With a degree in communications, there were many paths to take but I always found myself attracted to jobs that worked directly with people. Mid-career, I took a few years off to start a family and when I re-entered the job market, my priorities and outlook on life had changed. I wanted to utilize my skills to make a positive impact on others’ lives. 

As the Community Engagement Manager at 52 Limited, a local creative and tech staffing agency, I consider myself tech adjacent. I align 52 with organizations that support our core values. I provide a platform to educate and inspire our community in an effort to upskill and deepen our talent pool. I show value to our client partners by building a pipeline with a wide variety of talent from all socioeconomic backgrounds. I do this because I support technology and its diversification. Technology exists everywhere and is shaping our future. It should be accessible to everyone and everyone should have the opportunity to be part of its design. I want to change the survey results of the State of the Community for the better.