Six Female Techs Changing the Face of Repair

History shows that women have to go above and beyond to prove they’re capable of building and fixing things. Back in the 1940s, factories and shipyards wouldn’t have been able to supply World War II without the work of thousands of Rosie the Riveters. But the war ended, the men came back, and women were expected to return to their lives at home. The war created an opportunity for more female representation in technical fields—but fast forward to 2019, and there are still too few women represented in tech.

Women learning “war work” at a technical school in Florida. Howard R. Hollem, April 1942.

I work on the outreach team at iFixit, which means my mission is to reach everyone and teach them how to fix everything. But to make a real impact on the growing e-waste crisis, it’s not enough to reach out to the people who are already repairing things—I need to talk to the people who aren’t fixing things and encourage them to pick up a screwdriver for the first time. At iFixit, there’s a disproportionate number of men visiting our forums and buying our parts and tools, and I’ve made it my personal mission to empower more women to fix their electronics.

Highlighting the women and minorities within the repair industry is one of the best ways we can foster greater representation. We do this daily by sharing user submitted stories and photos, and for Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating the strong female repair techs who make this industry a more inclusive place.

Here are six repair techs who are advocating for your consumer rights, running their own businesses, and teaching other women the art of repair—all at the same time.

1. Toni Robinson—Stilettos & Screwdrivers

 2. Jessa Jones—iPad Rehab

3. Salisha Morgan—The Geek In Heels

4. Sophie Bingham—MobiTech

5. Kaitlin Osborne—Desert Wireless Repairs

6. Jessica Kirsh—Jessica Kirsh Creative

We know there are more amazing female techs out there, and we want to meet them all! Comment below to nominate your favorite female repair tech, and one lucky nominee will get a free Repair Business Toolkit.