Jen Fitzpatrick
{{short description|American engineer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = Jen Fitzpatrick
| honorific_suffix =
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = 1976
| birth_place =
| disappeared_date =
| disappeared_place =
| disappeared_status =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| body_discovered =
| resting_place =
| resting_place_coordinates =
| monuments =
| nationality = American
| other_names =
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater = Stanford University
| occupation = Engineer
| years_active = 1999 - Present
| employer = Google
| organization =
| agent =
| known_for =
| notable_works =
| style =
| net_worth =
| height =
| television =
| boards =
| spouse =
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| awards =
| signature =
| signature_size =
| signature_alt =
| footnotes =
}}
Jennifer McGrath Fitzpatrick is an American engineer. One of the first female engineers at Google, she is currently the senior vice president for Google Core Systems & Experiences.{{cite web|url=https://capitalg.com/team/jen-fitzpatrick/|title="Jen Fitzpatrick"|access-date=2022-02-11}}
Education
Fitzpatrick graduated from Stanford University in 1999. She earned a Bachelor of Science in symbolic systems,{{Cite news|url=https://engineeringonline.ucr.edu/blog/the-growing-presence-of-women-in-engineering/|title=The Growing Presence of Women in Engineering - UC Riverside|date=2018-03-14|work=UC Riverside|access-date=2018-08-27}} and a master's degree in Computer Science.{{Cite news|url=https://www.elle.com/culture/tech/a35725/women-in-tech-2016/|title=Meet ELLE's 2016 Women in Tech|date=2016-05-13|work=ELLE|access-date=2018-08-27}} She began using Google as a student,{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2015/09/10/women-of-google/ |title=Why Powerful Women Love Google—And Why They Leave It |publisher=Fortune |author=Patricia Sellers|date=10 September 2015}} and joined the company's Summer Intern Program in 1999. She was one of four interns.{{cite web| url=https://www.elitedaily.com/p/googles-jen-fitzpatrick-is-a-tech-pioneer-who-helps-you-explore-the-world-from-home-16276774 | title="Google's Jen Fitzpatrick Is A Tech Pioneer Who Helps You Explore The World From Home"}}
Career
One of Google's first 30 employees,{{Cite book|title=Googled : the end of the world as we know it|last=Ken.|first=Auletta|date=2010|publisher=Penguin Books|isbn=9780143118046|location=New York, N.Y.|oclc=515456623}} Fitzpatrick was hired by Google's founders following her internship.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/technology/in-googles-inner-circle-a-falling-number-of-women.html|title=In Google's Inner Circle, a Falling Number of Women|last=Miller|first=Claire Cain|access-date=2018-08-27}} Fitzpatrick was one of Google's inaugural intern class in 1999 while studying at Standford University. {{Cite web |last=McCracken |first=Harry |date=26 September 2018 |title=How I went from Google intern to the head of Google Maps |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90241372/how-i-went-from-google-intern-to-the-head-of-google-maps |access-date=17 March 2025 |website=Fast Company}}She reported to Marissa Mayer, who became her mentor. After her internship, she became one of Google's earliest female engineers.To improve gender diversity at Google, Fitzpatrick and Mayer insisted that at least one female executive interview every job candidate.{{Cite news|url=http://fortune.com/2015/09/10/women-of-google/|title=Why Powerful Women Love Google, and Why They Leave It|work=Fortune|access-date=2018-08-27}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303714704576385941635827566|title=Tech Executives See Paths for Women, Especially Geeks|last=Efrati|first=Amir|date=2011-06-16|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=2018-08-27|issn=0099-9660}}
Fitzpatrick has led software development for products and teams including AdWords, Google News, Google Maps, Product Search, corporate engineering and the Google Search Appliance, and co-founded Google's user experience, focusing on improving visibility across multiple products.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thisisinsider.com/female-execs-half-of-googles-management-team-2017-6|title=Almost half of Google's management team is made up of women — here they are|work=INSIDER|access-date=2018-08-27}} She holds a US design patent for the iconic graphical user interface of the Google search engine home page.{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/USD599372S1/en|title=Graphical user interface for a display screen of a communications terminal|website=patents.google.com}}
In 2014, she became the Vice President for Geo, leading Google Maps and Local.{{Cite magazine |last=Goode |first=Lauren |title=Google's Mapping Chief Says Maps' Future Goes Beyond Driving |url=https://www.wired.com/story/google-maps-jen-fitzpatrick-q-and-a/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}} Under her leadership, Google Maps expanded beyond navigation, integrating real-time traffic, business info, and Street View improvements. She aimed to make Maps more than just a driving tool, focusing on daily-use cases such as finding restaurants and businesses.
References
{{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzpatrick, Jen}}
Category:Stanford University alumni
Category:21st-century American women engineers
Category:21st-century American engineers
Category:21st-century American businesspeople
{{Google-stub}}
{{US-business-bio-1980s-stub}}
{{US-engineer-stub}}