GirlGeek of the Week
June 2001

Liza Schmalcel

Liza Schmalcel is the founder and creative force behind Geek Culture, one of the hippest and most fun geek sites on the Internet! "Geek Culture is a website that puts a little glamour and a lot of grooviness into Geekdom," says Liza.

While growing up, Liza was the farthest thing from being a geek, and was, at first, interested in becoming a fashion designer. Her talents with technology did not surface until studying at the Ontario College of Art, where she created art with electronics such as switches, speakers and circuit boards, and using media such as holography, video, photography and audio.

Today, Liza is the managing partner as well as the designer and illustrator of all the content on the Geek Culture website. Creating programs, screensavers and interactive media is a part of her everyday duties, as well as running the business side of Geek Culture. Liza wholeheartedly believes that being a web entrepreneur is the best career a girl could ever have!

How do you earn a living?

I'm lucky enough to be able to make a living by running Geek Culture. Geek Culture brings in revenue through its merchandizing of screensavers, T-shirts, propeller beanies, advertising and creating screensavers for other businesses. We are planning to release an interactive CD-ROM later this year, as well.

When did you first discover your love and/or obsession with computers and technology?

It didn't happen until I attended art school and began creating art using electronics, circuit boards, LEDs, sound and holography. Then, after I bought my Mac and made my first animated GIF, I was hooked, BIG TIME!

Do you consider yourself a Geek?

Absolutely, I'm very proud to be a geek.

What is your favorite website?

GirlGeeks? of course! :-) Other websites I visit frequently are news sites, shift.com, play.net (to play chess and chat) and shockrave.com.

What do you do when you are not working?

I paint (real painting with oil and canvas) and I'm training for a triathlon later this summer, to balance the effects of hours spent sitting in front of the computer.