Overview
Rena Hixon is a Project Lead and Software Tools Development Engineer at NetApp, where she supports the student development team by assigning tasks, mentoring their progress, and contributing directly as a Python developer.
With a background as an embedded systems engineer for eight years, Rena has extensive experience programming in C and C++. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science and both an M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering. In addition to her industry work, Rena has served as an adjunct professor for nearly 20 years at Wichita State University and for five years at Butler Community College, sharing her knowledge and passion for computing with future engineers.
Beyond academia and industry, Rena has been a LEGO robotics coach for over 20 years through her business, RoboMasters, inspiring students to explore engineering through hands-on learning.
Outside of work, she enjoys horseback riding, biking, and spending time with her two grandchildren, a granddaughter born in June and a two-year-old grandson.