Alison Co, 22
Alison Co: The Empathetic Mentor and Impact-Driven Hackathon Advocate
Alison Co (University of British Columbia ’26) is a dedicated hacker, mentor, and hackathon judge who is passionate about creating inclusive tech spaces and building projects with real-world impact. Alison’s tech journey began with a love for typing as a child. As she grew, this passion evolved into learning basic Python and web development in high school. The thrill of creating something from a few lines of code inspired her to study computer science in university. There, her CS classes revealed how code could solve an endless array of real-world problems. Although she was initially intimidated by hackathons, her perspective shifted after her first in-person event, girlCode (now youCode), where she found a supportive space for underrepresented genders that motivated her to overcome her initial feelings of imposter syndrome.
Alison’s commitment to impactful projects shines through "Braillearn," a finalist at nwHacks 2025, designed to help the visually impaired learn Braille with an affordable refreshable display. The project extended beyond the hackathon through connections with experts and industry programs. This experience reshaped her view of personal projects as vehicles for real change. Her success with “Braillearn” inspired her to mentor at events like youCode (where she won "Most Valuable Mentor") and cmd-f, a women-in-tech hackathon. She often takes overnight shifts to support dedicated teams. She works to ensure hackers feel welcome and supported, offering guidance on everything from debugging to career advice, and emphasizing the importance of staying connected post-hackathon.
Python's versatility makes it Alison's favorite language, while Notion is her indispensable tool for organizing hackathon ideas and tasks. A full-circle moment for her was participating as a hacker in youCode 2025, where she had her first hackathon experience and returned as a mentor. Her team won the "youCode Favourite Team" award for their outdoor gear-lending app, "Arc’Tag." She is a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo, a skill that led to her serving as a stunt double role in a short film. Alison brings drive, passion, and dedication to her love for music, building playlists, and, of course, making epic hacks.
Quick Facts
Alison Co, 22
Alison Co: The Empathetic Mentor and Impact-Driven Hackathon Advocate
Alison Co (University of British Columbia ’26) is a dedicated hacker, mentor, and hackathon judge who is passionate about creating inclusive tech spaces and building projects with real-world impact. Alison’s tech journey began with a love for typing as a child. As she grew, this passion evolved into learning basic Python and web development in high school. The thrill of creating something from a few lines of code inspired her to study computer science in university. There, her CS classes revealed how code could solve an endless array of real-world problems. Although she was initially intimidated by hackathons, her perspective shifted after her first in-person event, girlCode (now youCode), where she found a supportive space for underrepresented genders that motivated her to overcome her initial feelings of imposter syndrome.
Alison’s commitment to impactful projects shines through "Braillearn," a finalist at nwHacks 2025, designed to help the visually impaired learn Braille with an affordable refreshable display. The project extended beyond the hackathon through connections with experts and industry programs. This experience reshaped her view of personal projects as vehicles for real change. Her success with “Braillearn” inspired her to mentor at events like youCode (where she won "Most Valuable Mentor") and cmd-f, a women-in-tech hackathon. She often takes overnight shifts to support dedicated teams. She works to ensure hackers feel welcome and supported, offering guidance on everything from debugging to career advice, and emphasizing the importance of staying connected post-hackathon.
Python's versatility makes it Alison's favorite language, while Notion is her indispensable tool for organizing hackathon ideas and tasks. A full-circle moment for her was participating as a hacker in youCode 2025, where she had her first hackathon experience and returned as a mentor. Her team won the "youCode Favourite Team" award for their outdoor gear-lending app, "Arc’Tag." She is a first-degree black belt in Taekwondo, a skill that led to her serving as a stunt double role in a short film. Alison brings drive, passion, and dedication to her love for music, building playlists, and, of course, making epic hacks.
