The geek in question: Gladys Kenfack

Title: Senior Marketing Manager, Unlimited Potential Group

I know a bit about Unlimited Potential, and it seems like one of those amazing programs that speaks for itself — what kind of marketing do you need to do? Microsoft Unlimited Potential is the company’s initiative that enables sustained, social and economic opportunity for everyone with an emphasis in emerging markets. I’m responsible for the digital and social media marketing of UP programs and products.

What were you doing before this? I was a software engineer here at Microsoft. I wrote and tested code, and mostly worked on the production side. I didn't interact much with marketing, and so when I switched to this position, I thought, okay, moving to the un-geeky side of the company. But within UP we also cool develop technologies for emerging markets, and my technical background gives me an edge in understanding the technical architecture and value of our products to our customers.

So, I understand you were profiled in Marie Claire, which is sort of the anti-technical publication. As a tech industry person, what was it like to be interviewed for a froofy fashion magazine? It was a great opportunity for me to share the great work that Unlimited Potential does in a very natural and simple way. I didn’t have to talk about algorithms or code – it was very relaxed. The most interesting part was that photo shoot … it took three hours and really emphasized that being a techie and being a model are two very different career paths; but I was glad to be able to cross them both.

…Sounds harder than a technical publication, in some ways! So, how long have you been with Microsoft, and how did you get here? I'm going to my sixth year at Microsoft. I attended Brigham Young University where I received my undergraduate degree in Computer Science. I am from Cameroon in West Africa and my primary reason for coming to the U.S. was to be able to learn technology and use it to improve lives in Africa.

So, are you heading back to Cameroon at some point? Oh, definitely, yeah. It could be as a Microsoft ambassador, or working for Microsoft in the field. But I want to be able to help make a difference back home because I believe that technology has the power to help solve some of Africa’s toughest problems – like health and education.

What are you're doing when you're not plotting to save the world? When not at work, I keep myself very busy. I play a few sports like tennis and Soccer and I run frequently. I volunteer in a few local non profits, and am also part of a cultural dance group that promotes African dance and culture in the Puget Sound area. I grew up aspiring to be an opera singer and for the past 15 years, I have been singing in local choirs and taking voice lessons. I enjoy cooking and entertaining friends as well.

Sounds like you’re saving the world in your spare time, too! I’m one of those people who is always working a project … it's something that makes me happy. Luckily, many of my personal projects overlap with my professional interests, so I don’t actually view lot at a lot of what I do as work.

Links links links…

Unlimited Potential: microsoft.com/up

Become a Fan of UP on facebook: facebook.com/microsoftup

Follow UP on Twitter: twitter.com/microsoftup

Check out our World Update Blog - blogs.technet.com/unlimitedpotential/