In the rural mountains of Hesperus, Colorado, a revolution brews in the e-learning industry. This revolution has a name: GeekPack®, an innovative hub transforming lives under the leadership of Julia Taylor, its CEO and Founder. A military spouse and a former Intelligence Officer for the US Defense Intelligence Agency, Julia Taylor’s journey is as inspiring as the community she serves.
Taylor’s experiences as a military spouse, with frequent relocations and struggles to find consistent employment, led her to a path of entrepreneurship. Her desire to create location-independent opportunities propelled her into the tech world, where she honed her skills as a WordPress developer. However, her journey wasn’t without challenges. As a woman in tech without a traditional IT degree, she often found herself an outsider. Determined, Taylor turned her obstacles into opportunities, eventually establishing her own thriving business.
Fueled by these experiences, Taylor founded GeekPack with a clear mission: to offer pathways to meaningful and secure work through tech skills, especially for those who feel like they don’t belong.
GeekPack goes beyond traditional learning, offering a unique blend of virtual education and community support that has helped over 8,500 diverse adult learners gain valuable digital skills.
GeekPack’s goals are ambitious but grounded in compassion and inclusion. By 2030, Julia aims to introduce one million new voices into the tech conversation, ensuring no one feels left out due to their background or circumstances.
What truly sets GeekPack apart is its commitment to community. The organization reaches far beyond its geographical confines, impacting lives globally.
From coding to digital marketing, the team’s varied expertise reflects the inclusive nature of the community they build. Looking ahead, GeekPack is not slowing down. The expansion of the GeekPack Partners Program in 2024 aims to amplify impact by collaborating with like-minded organizations. This move will enhance the ability to reach more people, stabilize communities, and ultimately change the face of tech.
At the core of GeekPack’s philosophy is a deep-seated belief in the power of community. Taylor’s favorite quote from Simon Sinek, “A small team, committed to a cause bigger than themselves, can achieve absolutely anything,” perfectly encapsulates the spirit of her team. Every team member was a student first, highlighting GeekPack’s investment in nurturing and empowering its community. The heart of GeekPack’s mission is building an inclusive community. Initiatives like GeekForGeek demonstrate this, offering opportunities to those in need. With 20% of its students from rural communities, GeekPack ensures that distance and location are not barriers to learning and growth.
A movement that stands for inclusion, empowerment, and the breaking down of barriers in the tech world, GeekPack is a testament to the idea that with the right guidance, support, and community, anyone can thrive in the evolving world of technology.
