Shavana’s Biography

Shavana Peynado is an award-winning Software Engineer, Public Speaker and North Chapter Lead at Coding Black Females. She is committed to empowering women in the tech industry to build their confidence, amplify their voices, and to increase visibility.

Having a background in Finance and Linguistics, until January 2021, when she rekindled her love for technology and embarked on the Black CodHer Full Stack bootcamp. After graduating in March 2022, she started her first role in Tech in April 2022 as an Android Developer for a travel start up and then joined an IT consultancy as an Associate Product Developer in November 2022. She has paid it forward as Teaching Assistant at their Black CodHer and Coding Black Females’ Return to Tech bootcamps.

She has a passion for teaching Software Development and Mentoring, which she has done alongside Coding Black Females and Everywoman Tech Mentorship scheme and mentoring final year Computer Science students at Leeds Trinity University. As the North Chapter Lead for Coding Black Females, she founded the first Code & Chill event in Leeds in September 2023, providing a platform for black women in tech to network and enhance their tech skills within the West Yorkshire community. She has facilitated, organised, and presented panel talks focusing on DE&I, Neurodiversity and Women in Tech for clients including Ministry of Justice, BCS, Coding Black Females, AND Digital, and National Conferences such as Yorkshire Post’s Digital and Data Conference.

In February 2024, Shavana Peynado expanded her advocacy for diversity in STEM by volunteering as a UN Women UK CSW68 Delegate, focusing on closing the gender gap in STEM industries, promoting neurodiversity, and driving economic empowerment for women and girls. This role complements her ongoing efforts to inspire young women through her collaboration with Ahead Partnerships and participation in events like GirlTech, which provide pupils aged 11-13 with valuable exposure to the tech industry.

In 2023, Shavana won the One To Watch 2023 at the Leeds Digital Festival Awards and was also nominated for the Makers Women in Software Awards in the Power List category. Additionally, she was shortlisted for Rising Star at the Black Tech Achievements Awards 2024.