San Diego is a city that prizes inclusivity and friendliness at work. According to a survey by research firm Energage, employees are 3% more likely to describe their company culture as inclusive compared to the national benchmark, and 4.9% more likely to describe it as friendly.

How do you become a lead technologist at a global Fortune 500 firm? And once there, how do you make the leap to lead an innovation and technology team that’s nearly 500 members strong—and growing? 

Ed Barnabas’ path to becoming a principal at Booz Allen’s Honolulu office began with music and involved many twists and turns. He shared his journey and career advice at a recent “Mini Virtual Tech Jobs Fair” hosted by the Hawai`i Technology Development Council.

Career “must-haves”: Curiosity and a growth mindset

In early October, young girls from LK Moss Elementary School in Central Georgia gathered for a day of innovation and exploration. They built a robot using only a small motor and plastic drink cups. They created animations from scratch with entry-level coding tools. Most important, they discovered new possibilities for STEM-related careers. 

The activity was the latest highlight in the year-long partnership between Girls Who Code and Booz Allen’s office in Warner Robins, Georgia. Their goal? Shrink the long-standing STEM gender gap. 

Booz Allen has been a proud sponsor of Special Olympics of Virginia (SOVA) for more than a decade, and for the past several years has joined teams across the region at the organization’s annual Dulles Plane Pull. In 2019, Booz Allen was named “Most Enthusiastic Team” and was also one of the fastest teams to pull a Boeing 757 for 12 feet down the runway, winning third place.