About Us
History
Following graduation from Westview High School, the alarming number of girls without exposure to computer science prompted the founders of the SD Coding for All to start an initiative for middle and high school girls. The SD Coding for All (originally SD Girls Coding Camp), now in its 8th year, now seeks to close both the gender and racial gap in computer science by giving students early exposure through a free week long camp over the summer. Each camp features free computer usage, speakers in industry, and dedicated instructors who have developed their own curriculum.
Who We Are
Kasey Sanseverino
President and Founder
Kasey is a Technical Program Manager at Instagram and a UCLA graduate, where she received a degree in Mathematics and Economics with a specialization in Computer Science. She is also a Westview High School alumni and grew up in Rancho Penasquitos. By creating this camp, Kasey hopes to give students an opportunity to learn about programming and the ability to find out early if programming is something they find interesting and want to pursue in the future, an opportunity she never had. A a Latina in tech, she is passionate about helping expose more underrpresented people to programming to hopefully one day see more people who look like her in the industry.
Brenda Thayillam
Senior Vice President
Brenda is a Software Engineer at Facebook and a Carnegie Mellon University graduate, where she majored in Computer Science with a minor in Machine Learning. She is also a Westview Alumni and is co-founder of the Women in Computer Science (WICS) club at Westview. During her college years, she continued her efforts of increasing diversity in tech and giving CS exposure to younger audiences via her active involvement in the Women@SCS group, SCS4ALL group, SCS Day planning committee, serving as Teaching Assistant for CS courses, and participating in roadshows (presentations that cleared the stereotypical misconceptions around CS and introduced the field as problem solving) for students in middle school and beyond. Now in her career at FB, she continues to be on the lookout for involvement including teaching new hire classes. Brenda looks forward to spending time with and teaching a new group of students at this year's camp!
Baula Xu
Senior Vice President
Baula is currently a software engineer at Salesforce after graduating from MIT with a major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a minor in Theater Arts. An alum of Westview High School, she has been an organizer of this camp since its inception in 2015 and was one of the camp's original instructors. Baula believes that everyone should have the opportunity to learn programming, and has now taught coding on both coasts of the United States and abroad in Andorra. In her free time, Baula enjoys traveling, figure skating, eating out with friends, viewing art and theater, and taking long walks in the city.
Mattie Sanseverino
Vice President
Mattie is a junior at UCLA studying Computer Science. She was a member of the Women in Computer Science club at Westview High School and is now part of the Center of Engineering Excellence and Diversity at UCLA. She thinks that computer science is a field of knowledge that everyone should learn and have access to. Her experience comes from two software engineering internships, the AP Computer Science class at Westview, participating in hackathons, and creating an app through the Technovations Challenge. She is excited to be a part of this camp!
Sneha Jaiswal
Vice President
Sneha is currently a junior at Westview High school. She is a member of the Society of Women's Engineering and was recognized by the National Center of Women & Information Technology for her aspirations in computing. She aspires to create an environment for everyone to learn and enjoy computer science through SDCFA.
Rhea Jogadhenu
Westview Women in Computer Science Club Liason and Camp Instructor
Rhea is currently a Senior at Westview High School. Rhea first developed an interest in computer science through taking the AP computer science course at her school. Rhea now takes an active role in the Women in Computer Science club at her school, where she creates new and interesting apps and works to promote computer science in her community. She believes that teaching computer science skills is important because of the large impact that technology plays in today's society.
Melody Fang
Lead Curriculum Developer
Melody is a current sophomore at Westview High School. She discovered her passion for programming through taking APCSA at her school and hopes to major in computer science during college. Through volunteering at SDCFA, she aims to gain experience in the field of computer science as well as help expose others to it.