Meet Elaine Santos, a member of our Cisco Community in Portuguese and part of our Women in Tech.
Elaine is a dedicated and resilient professional who found the Cisco Community to be a platform for growth and knowledge exchange. She continues to inspire and support other women in technology, promoting visibility and inclusion. (read this post in Portuguese or watch our video interview)
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Francisca Elaine, known as Francisca in the corporate world, but Elaine to family and friends since childhood. You can call me whichever you prefer! I am 35 years old, from Ceará in the Northeast of Brazil. I lived there until I was 18, then moved to São Paulo in search of broader horizons. I have always been very curious and eager to learn new things. São Paulo seemed like the perfect place to build my life. I arrived alone at 19 and had to start everything from scratch.
I love going out, taking walks, and traveling. Lately, I've been focusing on better managing my time to take care of my physical and mental health.
Tell us about your professional career.
My career began somewhat organically. My childhood was typical; I played with dolls and took care of them, while boys were encouraged to explore and be adventurous. However, my mother always supported my curiosity. I loved spending time on the computer during holidays, driven by a desire to understand the internet.
When I moved to São Paulo, I inadvertently entered a technical field. Initially, I thought it was a telemarketing role, but I soon realized I was assisting field technicians. Later, I joined a telecom operator.
I started taking courses only after my third job in Telecom. Seeking more exploration, I pursued a technical degree in Telecom. I tried to complete the CCNA certification but couldn't finish it at that time; it just didn't align. In 2019, I returned to study Computer Networking with much more professional experience. After graduation, I focused on certifications, understanding that technical expertise is crucial even for management roles. I earned my CCNA and am currently studying for the CCNP.
I've been in IT for about 12 years, mostly in Telecom, working in NOC operations, field technical support, and focusing on IP backbone, TWDMA, transmission, and more. I love this field but felt the need to understand more about LAN. I didn't fully grasp the user-end applications, which led me to shift towards enterprise IT.
Combining my Telecom experience with IT has been fascinating. It's been two years since I completed this transition.
How did you start participating in the Cisco Community?
I discovered the Cisco Community through Tomy ( ) in February 2023 and was immediately drawn to the platform's concept. The idea of freely sharing my content in a simple, straightforward manner appealed to me.
At that time, I was transitioning to a new area and didn't have the bandwidth to create content. This year, I managed to organize myself better and overcome some imposter syndrome. I used to think that those who created content in the Community were far more knowledgeable. Eventually, I told myself, "I'm going to start." I used some material I already had and created my first piece of content.
The experience has been wonderful! Now that I've overcome the imposter syndrome, I see that what might seem little to you can be a lot to someone else. So whatever you have is enough-just start. You'll want to create more, and it becomes a cycle! Women often think we need to know 100% before publishing something, but even 10% can be significant for others.
I met many people from the Community at industry events, and this support network is amazing. I even regret not starting earlier.
What inspires you to create technical content?
I learned how to study effectively. I know how to absorb information better, and I love to write. I'm a very visual person; images and colors aid my memory. Publishing my knowledge helps me study, share, and even consult in the future.
We have a low number of women in the Community. What would you say to women in technology who are out there and haven't yet created content?
We know it's hard. This topic can feel tiresome, but we have to keep talking about it! The data speaks for itself, and this isn't just a tech issue; it's a market-wide issue. That's why we need to support each other to keep going.
Whenever I see a program or initiative for women, I make a point of participating to provide support and visibility. Be present and help increase visibility.
For women just starting out, midway, or at the top: Don't give up. We face a tough road and know the daily challenges, but we must lead by example.
I am grateful to all the men I've worked with; they've been great partners and supporters. However, sometimes biases are so ingrained that they don't even realize it. It's part of our role to highlight these issues through examples. We are breaking barriers with our daily work and examples. We know we often have to do ten times more and better, but this also strengthens us to change the scenario.
Change is gradual, but we are resilient, and I have hope that we can reverse this trend. If we want something, we can't just sit and wait; we need to go after it!
The Community is an excellent starting point for visibility. I was even called for an interview because they saw my content. We are here for you, women-count on me!
Discover the content created by Elaine (Portuguese only):
Verificando o cluster da APIC - Cisco ACI
Resumo do processo de descobrimento e registro no Cisco ACI Fabric
Tenant VRF e Bridge Domain - Cisco ACI Fabric
Contratos e Filtros - Cisco ACI Fabric
Application Profiles e Endpoint Groups - Cisco ACI Fabric
Fabric Domain e VLAN Pools - Comunicação para fora da Fabric Domain
Interface Policy Group, Profiles e Policies - Acesso nos LEAFs
Want to join Elaine? Learn more about Spotlight Award and other member recognition programs.
◆◆ VIP Spotlight Series ◆◆
#1 Scott Fella (English community)
#2 Tomy Tim (Portuguese community)
#3 Redouane Meddane (French community)
#4 Changjiang Li (Chinese community)
#5 Chunlin Geng (Chinese community)
#6 Fumihiro Takai (Japanese community)
#7 Javier Acuña (Spanish community)
#8 Jonas Resende (Portuguese community)
#9 Balaji Bandi (English community)
#10 Daniel Ordonez (Spanish community)
#11 Benoit Ode (French community)
Did you know that we now have a group dedicated to exchanges between women in technology? Be part of this exclusive Cisco Community group, share your experience, leave your questions and let's go together! Access: Women in Tech Hub
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