The woman behind the pivot.
ABOUT ALLI
I spent nearly a decade in healthcare before I made the decision that changed everything. This is the story of what happens when you choose reinvention over certainty. And what I’ve learned along the way that I wish someone had told me.
MY STORY
I became a Physician Assistant because I wanted to help people. And for nearly a decade, that’s exactly what I did. In Gastroenterology, General Surgery, and Vascular Surgery. I was good at it. I cared deeply. And somewhere along the way, I realized I was also deeply restless.
In 2023, I made a decision that confused a lot of people in my life: I left medicine to become a software engineer. No bootcamp, no roadmap, no guarantee it would work. Just a belief that the same curiosity and drive that made me good at medicine could make me good at something completely new.
Career reinvention isn’t a crisis. It’s a compass.
What I didn’t expect was how much my healthcare background would become my greatest asset in tech, not a liability. The ability to absorb and analyze complex information quickly, communicate across disciplines, and hold a patient’s entire picture in mind? That’s just systems thinking. Software engineering is systems thinking. The tools just look different.
Today I’m a software engineer at Q2, a conference speaker, and the founder of FemmeTechCollective, a shop of digital tools for women navigating tech careers on their own terms. I have sat on the Nebraska Women in STEM Lincoln planning committee, facilitated Girls Code Lincoln, and coached students as a UNL Design Studio Industry Coach.
I built this brand because I kept meeting women who thought their non-linear path disqualified them. I am proof that it doesn’t. And am a resource for what comes next.
WHAT I STAND FOR
The beliefs that drive everything I do.
01
Non-linear is not lesser
The winding path isn’t a consolation prize. It’s often where the most interesting people end up, with perspectives that straight-line careers simply can’t build.
02
Imposter syndrome is a signal
It means you’re in new territory. The discomfort isn’t evidence you don’t belong, it’s evidence you’re growing. Learning to read it that way changes everything.
03
Women belong in every room
Not as guests. Not as exception. As architects. I spend my energy building pipelines, mentoring the next generation, and making sure the doors I walked through stay open.
BACKGROUND
Two careers. One throughline.
Software Engineer
Q2
June 2025 - Present
Physician Assistant - Certified
Gastroenterology - General Surgery - Vascular Surgery
~ 10 years
Software Engineer / Developer
Don’t Panic Labs
March 2023 - May 2025
C# - Angular - React
Web & Mobile Application Development
MVC - IDesign
RECOGNITION
Awards & community.
Diversity Champion Award Nominee - March 2026
Rising Star of the Year Award Nominee - March 2025
Nebraska Women in STEM Spotlight Profile - March 2024
VOLUNTEERING & COMMUNITY
Industry Coach
UNL Design Studio
Club Facilitator
Girls Code Lincoln
Planning Committee Member
Nebraska Women in STEM - Lincoln Chapter
Ready to work together?
Whether you want Alli to speak at your event, collaborate on a project, or just connect, she’d love to hear from you.