Robbie Adair on Web Dev, Theater, Tech Gadgets, and Life in Texas

Send us Fan MailAn unexpected conversation with a woman who is an irrepressible gadget geek and is a hoot wherever she goes. Robbie Adair discusses her familial relationships, early life, and career journey in an engaging interview with Bud, touching upon significant personal and professional experiences. She reveals her family dynamics, mentioning her brother who worked with her at her web agency, and another sibling who passed away young. Robbie also reminisces about her parents, their life in Texas, and her father's extensive career as a heavy equipment mechanic, which took him worldwide. In high school, Robbie navigated numerous changes, moving frequently and attending multiple schools. Despite being initially shy, she chose to forge a new identity upon moving to a large high school in San Antonio, taking up extracurricular activities like ROTC and theater, which eventually led her to become more outgoing and socially adept. Her adaptability continued in college, where she initially pursued a theater major despite her interest in computer science, a decision she made after a conflict with academic advisors. Robbie's career in technology began with learning HTML in its early days while still in college. She balanced this with her theater studies and later transitioned to building websites professionally. She recounted her first jobs in web development and shared humorous experiences about creating early web designs and animations. Her career quickly evolved as she offered training and consultancy, then founded a media agency, which combined web development and video production services. Exploring her personal life, Robbie shared her journey with her wife, Mikel, whom she met in college. Robbie described their initial connection, their challenges as a same-sex couple in the early 90s in East Texas, and their path to self-acceptance and openness about their relationship over the years. They eventually married in New York before federal legalization of same-sex marriage, and their relationship has been a cornerstone of Robbie's life.Robbie also reflected on the evolving acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals within communities, particularly in the tech world. She acknowledges the progress made but notes that challenges remain, especially considering cultural and religious contexts. Besides her professional work, Robbie enjoys various hobbies like woodworking, leatherworking, and flying drones, which help her unwind and stay creative. Her vibrant personality and dedication to her multiple roles come through clearly in her anecdotes and reflections shared with Bud.