Unlocking Your Potential: My Journey to Becoming an Expert Elite

When tasked with writing about “What’s new from Autodesk”, I struggled to come up with a fresh perspective. As a new contributor, I wanted to offer something unique and insightful, but the topic felt so well-trodden that I found myself falling down rabbit holes in search of inspiration. Suddenly, I realized, I was “What’s new from Autodesk”. On International Women’s Day 2023, I received the email. I had been accepted into the Autodesk Expert Elite program.

KRISTINA YOUNGBLUT - NEWEST AUTODESK EXPERT ELITE

As a woman with 20 years of experience in the technology industry, I have long been committed to promoting diversity and representation in our field. While I may be a relatively new voice in the Support and Learning initiatives, over the past year, I have actively built relationships with fellow industry professionals, joined expert panels, submitted articles, tips and blogs, hosted webinars, and led discussion panels, with the intention of sharing my knowledge and skills and promote diversity and inclusion in technology.

Now, as a member of the Autodesk Expert Elite Program, I have access to the latest tools and techniques, as well as a community of passionate, like-minded professionals who mirror my commitment to sharing their knowledge, adding wisdom to the collective, and supporting the industry for our future. With this newfound perspective, I am excited to explore the opportunities for growth. To inspire others to seek their own path. To continue to foster a culture of knowledge-sharing and innovation within the Autodesk community.

What Is The Autodesk Expert Elite Program

Taken from the Autodesk Expert Elite program website:

The Expert Elite program recognizes customers around the world who contribute to the Autodesk Community by sharing their product knowledge, best practices and expertise. I am thrilled to be a part of this community and am excited to share my expertise with my peers and learn from them in return.

Join me as I introduce you to some of the amazing women in the Expert Elite program. I reached out to each of them with the same question: As a woman in the field of technology, what motivated you to become an Autodesk Expert Elite program member, and how has this achievement impacted your professional growth and development?

Follow along in this article to hear their answers.

MEET RINA SAHAY - MEMBER SINCE 2018

I started referring to the Autodesk Revit Forum during my learning phase in 2016. I learned from some of the most knowledgeable Expert Elite program members - and was intrigued by the Expert Elite credential displayed on their profiles. And suddenly, I realized that not only was I getting solutions, but I was giving solutions too! At my first time at AU in 2017, I had random people hugging me for helping with their projects. In conversation, fellow Expert Elite program members noticed the quantity and quality of my Autodesk forum contributions and wondered why I wasn’t an Elite yet. Talk about positive reinforcement! This led to an introduction to the Autodesk Expert Elite program team - and the rest, as they say, is history.

Motivation? My biggest motivation was to be able to keep company with and continue to learn from the best minds in the community. To be involved in and contribute to learning events and activities in the community. To be able to assist and contribute to Autodesk’s research and development of the software. And last but not least, to promote my passion for the tools I use, enhance the reputation of my organization, and help spread whatever I