Getting to know datacenter employees: Ashley Buchanan
Microsoft’s success depends on our people. We are proud to introduce some of the talented folks in your community who work in our global datacenters. Discover what inspired them to pursue a career in the tech industry, the different pathways they pursued, and what a day in the life of a datacenter employee looks like.
Introducing Ashley Buchanan
Datacenter Technician Manager
Boydton, Virginia
Employee since 2021
Early days
Ashley was born and raised in Southern Virginia and always had an interest in technology. After graduating high school, she spent her twenties in various jobs including cashier, coding specialist, and restaurant owner before working in Human Resources for the Virginia Department of Corrections. Ashley has been married to her wonderful husband for a decade and they have two sweet kiddos that keep them on their toes.
The path to technology
After years of working in Human Resources with the Virginia Department of Corrections, Ashley wanted to transition into a career she was passionate about and that would help support her family. She learned about the Datacenter Academy program offered through Southside Virginia Community College and began her first class with the program in the second half of 2020. After her first semester, Ashley was chosen to intern at Microsoft. At the end of the internship, Ashley accepted a role as a full-time datacenter technician in mid-2021. Since beginning her career with Microsoft, Ashley has held the titles of Senior Datacenter Technician, Datacenter Program Manager, and she most recently accepted the role of Datacenter Technician Manager. While employed with Microsoft, Ashley has completed her Associates Degree in Information Technology and is slated to complete her Bachelor’s Degree in Data Science by the end of 2024, earning a 4.0 GPA in both degree programs.
Superpowers
One of Ashley’s areas of expertise at work is process improvement. She loves to study how a process is currently conducted and try to improve upon it. Ashley also has a superpower when it comes to Microsoft Excel. She loves creating spreadsheets and formulas to organize and automate processes.
A day in the life
A typical day at work for Ashley starts by checking in with her team, catching up on emails, and attending morning meetings. Her day is then spent working with her team to help them accomplish the tasks of the day and collaborating with other teams to keep the business running. Ashley’s favorite things to work on are projects involving new equipment. Getting to work with the latest innovations in tech is such a privilege!
Favorite childhood food
Ashley’s favorite childhood food that still reigns supreme today is her mama’s mushroom chicken. She has made it since Ashley was little and still makes it every year for her birthday. It is the ultimate comfort food!
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