About August

I have been legally blind since birth due to Albinism, which is a genetic condition that causes visual impairment and a lack of pigment in skin, hair, and eyes. I hold an MFA in creative writing and a BA in television writing and production, and before landing in Salesforce Administration, my eclectic career has included customer service, teaching, and software engineering. While apprenticing at BIT, I also work as a farm hand feeding and caring for 49 horses, 5 goats, 2 donkeys, and 2 cats. I live in Louisville, Colorado, with my partner, the best little dog in the world, and a cat twice as big as the dog. When not working, I enjoy baking, audiobooks, podcasts, and hanging out with my own horse, Clark.

Want to work with August? Check out his LinkedIn profile to learn more – he’s ready to make a difference!

We sat down with August, here’s what he had to say

After completing the Salesforce admin course at the BIT Academy, and obtaining my certification, I felt quite knowledgeable but not at all experienced. I knew I could pass a written test about Salesforce Administration, but if asked to discuss my hands-on experience in a job interview, I would have little to contribute. The BIT apprenticeship offered the perfect opportunity to gain that experience, while staying in a community where I feel comfortable, respected, and safe to try things, make mistakes, and grow.

Working directly with clients in a consulting capacity was definitely out of my comfort zone. I don’t think I can say I have learned how to do something that takes years to master, but I have learned a huge amount about the consulting process and the strategy and finesse it takes to manage that client relationship.

Dipping my toes into the world of consulting has helped me realize the value of the skills I have acquired through my past work and life experiences. These skills may not be Salesforce specific, but they are applicable and helpful in this job every day. My time with BIT has definitely improved the confidence I have in my skillset and professionalism.

I love when things break. Troubleshooting and debugging is my happy place. I live for the satisfaction of unraveling a puzzle, being eight browser tabs deep into documentation and community forums looking for anyone with a similar problem, trying an off-the-wall idea, and then backtracking to figure out why it worked when your problem is magically solved.

I can solve your Salesforce woes, write you a poem, bake cookies, and teach you to ride a horse all in the same day. I am driven by a combination of empathy and resilience that can only come from being trans and disabled in a world that is determined to exclude people like me.