Rebecca George facts for kids
Rebecca George, born in 1961, is a very important person in the world of computers and technology. In 2020, she became the President of the British Computer Society, which is a big group for computer professionals in the UK. She works hard to help and inspire girls and women to get involved in technology and IT.
Rebecca's Early Life and Education
Rebecca George was born in Basingstoke, England, in 1961. Her father, Garth, was a nuclear physicist who studied atoms and energy. He moved to the UK from South Africa. Her mother, Elizabeth, was a teacher and later became one of the first women to be a priest in the Church of England. Rebecca has two younger brothers, Matthew and Adam.
Rebecca went to school in Basingstoke. She attended Fairfields Primary School, Harriet Costello secondary school, and then Queen Mary’s College for her final years of high school. She loved music and played the violin in the Hampshire County Youth Orchestra. When she was 17, she flew to Australia for the first time on a tour with her orchestra!
She then went to St Hugh's College, Oxford University to study English Language and Literature. At that time, St Hugh's was a college just for women. Rebecca chose it because she felt it would be a better place for her. While at Oxford, she was in charge of the drama club for three years. She also taught herself how to use the college's computer, a Honeywell machine. She used this skill to earn money by typing up essays for other students.
Rebecca won a special scholarship called the Rotary Foundation Scholarship. This allowed her to go to Boston University in the US. There, she earned a Master's degree in Broadcasting, focusing on cable and satellite TV systems. Rebecca got married in 1991 and has two sons. Her husband stayed home to raise their children when they were young.
Rebecca's Career in Technology
In the early 1980s, Rebecca worked with cable TV in both the US and the UK. She even worked for a company owned by Robert Maxwell. She soon realized that cable and satellite TV were not growing as fast as she hoped in the UK. So, she joined a company called Spicer and Pegler for three years. This helped her learn many new business skills.
In 1988, she started working at IBM as a sales representative. IBM was just beginning to offer professional services to other businesses. Rebecca stayed at IBM for almost 20 years! She had many different jobs there, including sales, human resources (HR), and helping companies improve their business processes using technology. She even worked in the US for two years and in France for one year. Rebecca's main goal was always to help businesses work better by using IT.
In 2001, she started working with the UK government as they began their journey to use more digital technology. In 2006, she became a Partner at Deloitte, a big consulting company. She first worked with government departments. Then, in 2011, she took charge of Deloitte's UK Healthcare Practice, which helps hospitals and health services.
By 2016, Rebecca was leading Deloitte's UK Healthcare Practice. She also led the company's work in Public Sector Health and Social Services around the world, including in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. She focused on using technology to improve patient care, especially for people with cancer and diabetes. By 2019, she was leading Deloitte's Public Sector work across 13 European countries.
While working in the USA, Rebecca became very passionate about making sure more women were involved in technology. This passion has stayed with her ever since. She has led many projects to support women in IT. These projects help girls and women at every stage: from school, to university, to getting their first jobs, to returning to work after having children, and even reaching top leadership roles.
Awards and Recognition
Rebecca George has received many awards for her important work. In 2006, she was given the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) award. This was for her services to IT and her work helping with a review about sustainable community skills.
She is a Fellow of the BCS, which means she is a highly respected member of the British Computer Society. In 2013, she led the BCS Policy and Public Affairs Board. She was also elected as a BCS Vice President and Trustee in 2014.
In 2015, she became a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. She was also named one of the "Most Influential Women in IT" by Computer Weekly magazine in both 2014 and 2015.
In 2014, Rebecca was one of 30 women featured in the BCS Women in IT Campaign. Their stories were put into a free e-book called "Women in IT: Inspiring the next generation."
In 2023, she received an even higher honor: the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This award was given to her for her amazing work in promoting diversity and helping more people, especially women, get involved in the technology world.
