Read about Karine Louly

What brought you to a career in technology at the United Nations?

My interest in math and curiosity in science led me to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Masters in Database Administration. I left Brazil in 2001 aiming to work as an IT officer and follow my lifetime dream to work for the United Nations. The dream indeed materialized in 2006 when I was recruited to work in the area of Sybase database administration. Since then, my UN career has taken me to several different branches of the information technology field: enterprise application support, mobile business solutions, systems information architecture, project management, and data science.

What has been your favorite IT project at the United Nations and what was your technical contribution?

It really goes without saying that all the accomplishments conquered in the past have been so valuable for my professional growth. The path to the ultimate goals was filled with hard work, ups and downs, but most importantly filled with great amount of people (including women in tech) who believed in me, opened doors, gave me the opportunity to be where I am today. Throughout the years, I was truly inspired by others and very pleased to have a sense of belonging. Today, without a doubt, I am in my favorite place leading an impactful project with an amazing team. Together, we have designed, developed and published Kamino, the data science training series for all UN personnel. Kamino simply translates the full cycle of being inspired, learning, making, teaching and inspiring others.

What advice would you give women interested in pursuing a field in technology?

Remain true to yourself, your interests and your abilities. Do not try to be someone you are not. Get inspired. Learn with passion. Improve your skills with confidence. Transfer your knowledge with humility and kindness. Lead with motivation. Empathize, sympathize and be compassionate. Someone will follow with inspiration. That is the endless cycle of life.