Adrienne spends her days behind a computer, working in business development for a digital agency. So stripping down to her Knix for a photo shoot was - well, new. But she was one of the first to get in front of the camera, and her radiance, energy, and commitment to women’s wellness was blindingly evident. Read on to find out how how running made her rethink her body, and what it’s really like to be a woman in tech.
What’s your beauty philosophy?
I finished my first half-marathon last year and that made me very cognizant of how I treat my body. I had to focus on eating well, and learning how the body performs if you fuel it nicely is really powerful. It’s that mindset of if you treat yourself well, you’ll get goodness from your body in return. I do that with my skin care now, too. I focus on skin care before makeup. I don’t want to cover up, but think about my body from the inside out. I love companies that put the focus on natural ingredients, like Province Apothecary and REN.
Being beautiful is being confident. There’s no one definition for beauty - everyone is beautiful, and that really shines through if you believe in yourself.
How has running played a role in your relationship to your body?
Running has made me super confident about my body. As a kid, I was the gangly, awkward one — they called me String Bean. I was ashamed of my body. But running made my body stronger. Seeing what my body can do has made me very grateful for my physical self.
Women often struggle to be seen in the tech industry. What has your experience been with that?
I love being able to be feminine, especially in my industry. I used to see that as a disadvantage — I was the only one who’s not the same. But then I had a mindshift where I realized I had an advantage - not in a competitive way, but rather knowing that I bring something different to the table. When I first started in tech I tried to be one of the guys, trying to blend in, but it’s actually being confident in my femininity that enabled me to have more clarity and definition in my career.