Asia Slaughter joined Treasury in 2023 as a Service Desk Analyst, setting new employees up for success from day one. Asia ensures every new team member at Treasury has the equipment, accounts, and technical support they need to hit the ground running. She troubleshoots issues and brings a customer-first approach to every interaction. Beyond her day-to-day work at Treasury, Asia serves as president of the Black Data Processing Associates chapter for Portland, where she’s building community and creating opportunities for underrepresented professionals in STEM and tech careers.

What is your professional background and what brought you to this role?

I’ve been working in IT since 2017 after completing a program called NPower, which focuses on building foundational technical skills. I’ve held service desk technician roles with organizations including Retail Technology Group, Mercy Technology Services, and KPMG.

I earned my bachelor's degree in educational studies with a minor in Youth and Adult Development from the University of Missouri St. Louis. After graduating, I worked as a job coach at St. Louis Arc, where I supported both youth and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

My desire to return to IT and continue growing professionally in this field led me to my current role at Treasury. I hadn’t previously worked in government, so I saw this as an opportunity to learn, expand my skill set, and grow both personally and professionally.

What trends are you watching most closely in the tech/IT right now?

A trend I am paying close attention to right now is the increasing integration of agentic AI in the workplace. I am focused on understanding how to adapt to this changing landscape and how to use AI tools to enhance my skills and expand my creativity.

What does leading the Portland chapter of Black Data Processing Associates mean to you and what do you hope to accomplish?

Leading the Portland chapter means a lot to me because it’s helping me develop and strengthen my leadership skills while also pushing me outside of my comfort zone. What I hope to accomplish during my time as president is to build a strong community where students and working professionals can network, gain exposure to job opportunities, and receive the support needed to grow and advance in their careers and personal development.

What advice would you give to someone entering this field today?

The advice I would give someone entering the field today is to really understand that people and users are the most critical part of information technology. Without user feedback and engagement, technology can lose its purpose and can become ineffective or fail altogether. Customer satisfaction should always be at the center of how you show up in IT, no matter what role you are in.

What book, podcast, or other resource(s) has influenced your thinking recently?

A book I recently started reading is Start with Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life by Emma Grede. It is helping me rethink how I approach challenges and shift my mindset around the life I want to build, as well as how I pursue my goals in both my personal and professional life.