Janet Emerson Bashen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Janet Emerson Bashen
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Janet Rita Emerson
February 12, 1957 Mansfield, Ohio, U.S.
|
| Alma mater | University of Houston (BS), Tulane Law School (MJ-LEL), The University of Southern California (Doctorate) |
| Occupation | Software inventor, businesswoman |
| Employer | Bashen Corporation |
| Known for | First African American woman to patent a web-based EEO software (Nalikah, formerly known as LinkLine) |
| Spouse(s) |
Ruffus Williams
(m. 1979; div. 1988)George Steven Bashen
(m. 1988) |
| Children | 2 |
Janet Rita Bashen (born February 12, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, a person who starts and runs a business. She is also a business consultant, someone who gives expert advice, and a software inventor. Janet Bashen is famous for creating and getting a patent for a special computer program called Nalikah. This program helps with investigations about equal employment opportunity, which means making sure everyone has a fair chance at jobs. She is known as the first African American woman to get a patent for a web-based software program.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Janet Rita Emerson was born on February 12, 1957, in Mansfield, Ohio. Her father, James Lucker Emerson Sr., worked as a garbage collector, and her mother, Ola Mae Emerson, was a nurse. When Janet was young, her family moved to Huntsville, Alabama. There, she went to a school that was only for Black students until she was in the fifth grade. After that, she attended Fifth Avenue School, which had previously been a segregated school.
Janet Bashen married George Steven Bashen in 1988. They have two children together.
Janet Bashen's Career Journey
Janet Bashen attended Alabama A&M University, which is a Historically Black College and University. Later, she enrolled at the University of Houston and earned a degree in Legal Studies and Government. She also studied at Harvard University and graduated from Tulane University Law School. More recently, Dr. Bashen received a doctorate from USC's Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.
After finishing her studies at the University of Houston, Bashen worked for an insurance company. Her job involved handling claims related to Equal Employment Opportunities. These are rules that make sure everyone is treated fairly in the workplace, no matter their background.
In 1994, Janet Bashen started her own company, Bashen Corporation. She used a loan from her mother to begin this business. Her company's main job was to investigate claims of discrimination filed by employees.
Inventing Nalikah Software
As her company grew, Janet Bashen realized it was hard to keep track of all the information from the discrimination claims. She needed a better way to store and find the data. So, she teamed up with her cousin, Donnie Moore, who was a computer science expert. Together, they started creating a new software program.
This was the beginning of the software now known as Nalikah. It was first called LinkLine. In January 2006, Janet Bashen was granted a patent for her software. This was a huge achievement, making her the first African American woman to receive a patent for a web-based software program. A patent is like a special legal right that protects an invention, so others can't copy it without permission.
Speaking to Congress
In May 2000, Janet Bashen spoke to the United States House of Representatives. This is a part of the U.S. government that makes laws. She explained that investigations into civil rights and employee misconduct should be treated differently under a law called the Fair Credit Reporting Act. This act usually deals with how credit information is handled.
See also
In Spanish: Janet Emerson Bashen para niños
