"Make a fool of yourself. Make yourself laugh. Think you're funny."

As most of you know, there are not enough women in the tech industry. Silicon Valley and tech giants are majority male-dominated places, but one strong, intelligent, and witty woman is breaking every stereotype. Andrea Morris, one of Microsoft's IT portfolio managers, is a beer connoisseur, tech guru, and Crossfit champ. Read about how this UGA grad got to where she is today:

1. What's your story? What makes you unique?

I have always loved technology and science. I remember every Saturday, when I was little girl, we used to keep our computer in the back corner of the living room in our old house, I would run downstairs and fire it up and could sit there for hours. I went into The University of Georgia with the intent of double majoring in Math and Computer Science. I soon realized, I missed the people element the hard sciences can be scarce on. I switched into Information Systems and landed a job at Microsoft. I manage IT portfolios for companies based out of New York and the New England area. That same computer start screen I saw for so many years of my life... I work for them! It's a pretty surreal feeling. I don't think I'm any more unique than anyone else. I got my weirdnesses like every other human. My eccentricities tend to center around comic books, peanut butter, and making sure I'm in a situation where Chacos are acceptable footwear.

2. What motivates you?

I am where I am in life because SO many people took a chance on me or said "yes" when they did not have to. People have opened doors for me. They have given me that 20 minute meeting. They answered the question they have probably been asked 100 times. They connected me with the right people or persons. The very least I can do is pay it forward to lift others up and let them stand on my shoulders (it's why I do all that CrossFit).

3. Who is a hero of yours?

Of all the people I admire, for this, I will pick my girl, Amy Poehler. I watched her brilliance shine as a cast member on SNL only to be rightfully recognized with a spot on the Weekend Update desk. She went on to produce and star in the critically acclaimed and universally loved Parks and Recreation. The fame she garnered she used to found Amy Poehler's Smart Girls (http://amysmartgirls.com/). It's an online community for young girls to "Change the World by Being Yourself". She (and actually that whole cast of late 90s - mid 00s of ladies on SNL) changed what it meant to be a smart, funny, and unapologeticly bold female.

4. What's your future plan? Your goals?

The only way I can think to answer this is by saying Microsoft is really great about encouraging us to find other roles that fit our passions. I like making people happy and making people's lives a little easier and that's a lot of what my current role boils down to at the end of the day. The moment I get board or unhappy in this role will be the moment I go hop into something new. In a company of 100,000 people there are plenty of opportunities around every corner.

Goals in life come down to a short list of requirements including (but not limited to): finding a brewery to work for, live near mountains, be surrounded by people who make me smile. I call this the "30 Year Plan".

5. If you could give one piece of advice, what would it be?

There are fine lines between foolishness and creativity and innovation. Make a fool of yourself. Make yourself laugh. Think you're funny. Anyone who thinks or cares otherwise, tell them to shove it.

6. What is something you feel strongly about (a cause, belief, etc.)?

I have a really big heart for education. It is education that allows us to create new things and push society forward. It is the educated person who can make the most informed decisions. The difference a solid educational foundation can have on a person is profound and amazing. We are all a part of this one world, this one collective community. When youth get left behind because of circumstances out of their control, I think, it is all of our responsibility to help our teachers fill in those gaps.

I currently volunteer at a school where majority of the students are from homeless families and class sizes are stretched to capacity. The difference a little extra love and time from the volunteers makes, both with the teachers and students, is immeasurable.

7. What's one of the coolest things you've ever done?

I once got to get on stage with an improv troupe when I had an extended stay in Seattle for work. I grew up watching All That, then Whose Line and have been a fan of SNL since high school. It was really fun to play on stage with people who were very good at being very funny.

8. Anything we haven't asked that you'd like to talk about.

Listen to the Mystery Show podcast. It's great and serves as a reminder that often times the journeys to our answers are more fun than the answers themselves.