Alicia Wood – Empowering Women through Technology and Faith

August 12, 2024

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July Alumni Spotlight

"Involve God at every step. Find mentors who believe in you even when you don’t believe in yourself. And it’s ok to want to quit a million times!" Alicia Wood

This month’s Alumni Spotlight features Alicia Wood, founder of Align Academy and The Preparedness Project. Alicia, originally from Maryland, came out to BYU and ended up staying much longer than she expected.

Alicia’s professional path began in the tech industry, where she held roles at Adobe, taught computer science at BYU, and managed engineering teams at Podium. Despite her success, Alicia realized that her priorities had shifted after the birth of her son and a divorce. She recognized that she really just wanted to be a mom, but she says, “I knew that God had provided the path I took for a reason, and my skills in tech were not to go to waste!”

In July 2023, Alicia faced a financial crisis and was unsure how she would even pay her mortgage. She wanted to figure out how to live with her values while still providing for her little family. Through a series of miracles, she founded Align Academy, an initiative designed to teach coding to women and moms while helping them balance their professional and personal lives. The Academy offers flexible, part-time work opportunities for graduates, empowering them to pursue fulfilling careers without the constraints of a traditional 9-5 job. Upcoming projects for the Academy include UX, Data Science, and Security Tracks, as well as a new mobile app, Moms Who Code, set to launch in late 2024.

Alongside Align Academy, Alicia co-founded The Preparedness Project with two friends. This venture focuses on helping women prepare their homes, bodies, and minds for significant life events in a practical, non-extreme manner. Alicia’s role includes developing the app for this initiative, which has positively impacted many lives.

Alicia’s passion extends beyond her professional endeavors. She enjoys self-improvement, outdoor activities with her son, running, reading, and home projects. Her enthusiasm for computer science began in high school, where she excelled in STEM courses and later tested out of an introductory class at BYU. Her academic background in computer science, including a master’s degree, has profoundly influenced her career and personal life, providing financial stability and the opportunity to assist others.

Reflecting on her career, Alicia credits her faith as a guiding force. “Everything about my work is aligned with my faith. I would never have taken many of the steps I have in my career if it weren’t for God leading me—especially when it didn’t make sense,” she says. For current computer science students, Alicia offers this advice: “Involve God at every step. Find mentors who believe in you even when you don’t believe in yourself. And it’s okay to want to quit a million times!”

Alicia Wood’s story is a powerful reminder of how aligning one’s career with personal values and faith can lead to both professional success and personal fulfillment. We at the Computer Science department believe in developing computer scientists' in faith, intellect, integrity, and excellence, as well as improving lives through computing. Alicia is a great example of our mission. To learn more about her work, visit: