Interview with Dana Zircher

Dana Zircher is a woman of luminous contradictions, a quiet force in technology, a soul steeped in melody, a seeker of truth hidden between lines of code and chords of song. For over twenty years, she shaped the digital world as a software design engineer, leaving her fingerprint on icons like Lotus Notes, Microsoft Office, and Windows. But beyond the logic and architecture of code, Dana’s heart beat to a different rhythm, a lifelong devotion to music, performance, and the art of becoming. When she stepped into the world of Chris/tina, what began as a fleeting role became a kind of awakening. The show, a poignant exploration of trans identity in the Latinx community, offered Dana more than a script, it offered resonance. Her role, initially brief, blossomed into something enduring, as she brought both presence and perspective to the screen. Acting, for her, became a sacred form of truth-telling. It was not just performance, it was embodiment, testimony, and grace. 

 

In parallel with her creative path, Dana emerged as a voice for those whose truths are often silenced. She stood at podiums and in marble chambers, lending her story to the fight for transgender rights. At first, she approached these moments like scenes to be rehearsed, but over time, they became sacred acts of vulnerability. Inspired by pioneers like Professor Lynn Conway, Dana discovered that authenticity, when spoken aloud, can reshape the world. Beyond algorithms and activism, Dana chases the horizon on two wheels. A devoted motorcycle racer, she lives for the wind in her face and the surge of the engine beneath her. In her rookie season, she claimed a victory, and a broken patella. Yet even the fall was a kind of flight, a reminder that courage is not the absence of pain, but the choice to rise again. Dana’s journey is one of daring softness, of fierce elegance, and of becoming, always becoming, the truest version of herself. 

 

Monika: Today, I have the distinct pleasure of welcoming Dana Zircher to our conversation, a brilliant software design engineer, a captivating actress, and a woman whose journey embodies both strength and transformation. Dana, thank you for joining me!

Dana: Hi Monika, the pleasure is truly mine. First and foremost, thank you for inviting me to be part of this thoughtful and inspiring series. I’m really impressed with the collection of interviews and information that you’ve accumulated for your website. I think it’s a great asset to our community. Thank you so much for pulling it together. It must be a labor of love! And I have to say, you’re just as stunning as you are smart. I’m excited to be part of this!

 

Practicing the v-drums.

 

Monika: You’ve had a fascinating and multifaceted journey. Can you walk us through some of the highlights of your professional path, both in tech and the arts?

Dana: I’ve been really fortunate with my professional career. I was always a bit of a techy nerd and decided to pursue a career in electronics. Software was more or less a natural fit, and I have been writing software professionally for about 20 years.

Monika: That’s quite the portfolio! What kinds of projects or products have you been involved with?

Dana: I’ve had the pleasure of working on products like Lotus Notes, Groove Workspace, Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and even Windows. It’s been a wonderfully challenging and rewarding career so far, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with, and learn from, so many brilliant industry leaders.

Monika: And what about your creative side? How did performance and music come into play?

Dana: I also love performing, it offers me rewards that are hard to quantify with words. When I was younger, I played different instruments with several local bands, studied music theory in college, and was even fortunate enough to work with some regional road acts for a short while. It was always important to me to keep my love of performance as much a part of my day-to-day as possible; that’s not always so simple when you’re working on enterprise software products.

Until recently, I owned and operated a private recording studio in my spare time. I really enjoyed that, I selected the artists I wanted to record and produce, and there was very little need to create a commercially viable product. There was no pressure to pay the bills with any of these ventures, and that was very liberating. It allowed for a great deal of experimentation, and sometimes the results were really quite fantastic.

Monika: Has your daughter inherited your musical passion?

Dana: My daughter, who is 14, has really been shining with her musical talents as well. It’s so wonderful to watch her grow musically and develop her own sense of style. Unfortunately, I suffered some pretty serious hearing loss a couple of years ago due to a nasty virus. Once I was unable to listen critically and mix well, I decided it was time to retire from music production.

I still play a few instruments from time to time, but mostly for my own enjoyment, and to jam with my daughter, of course. It keeps me connected to that creative energy, even if I’m no longer producing. And it’s become one of our favorite ways to spend time together. 

Dana and Mica are on set doing takes for
the interview scene.

 

Monika: You made your acting debut in 2012, appearing as the Interviewer in one of the episodes of Chris/tina, a TV series created by Jorge Ortiz. How did that opportunity come about, and what drew you to the project?

Dana: My role in Chris/tina was an incredible opportunity for me. The writer and producer, Jorge Ortiz, reached out to me for support and to review his script for accuracy. There were a few corrections to be made regarding technical errata, such as transitioning language and other community expressions, but it was a really compelling story.

During the course of our interactions, I was offered the opportunity to come out to LA and perform a brief walk-on role. I never really meant it to be the beginning of a career, but it certainly sparked a new passion in me. It also made me realize just how impactful accurate representation can be, especially when it comes from within the community. That moment marked a subtle but meaningful shift in how I viewed my place in the creative arts.
Monika: What was the central theme of the show?

Dana: Jorge’s goal for this series was to increase awareness of the challenges that the LGBT community faces, and he’d written a very compelling story about Chris/tina, a young Latino man who harbored his secret transgender identity. Here’s the description of his work: "A teenage identical twin living in a machismo, middle-class thinking, Catholic-based, Latin neighborhood with his college, all-American athlete brother and his politically ambitious mother is caught between the expectations of that world and with who he really is inside: a woman."

His project’s major focus was to stop the bullying and hatred associated with the transgender and gay community. The pilot episode that I acted in focused on the family rifts that existed with Chris/tina’s gay uncle. It set the stage for the lack of tolerance that existed within the family dynamic. The show had a deeply emotional undertone that resonated with many of us involved in its creation. Being the first real transgender person to work on the project, I felt a unique responsibility and pride in helping shape its authenticity.

 

Dana standing next to her mixer in early 2004.

 

Monika: What was it like stepping onto that set and portraying a cisgender woman while supporting a trans-centered narrative?

Dana: My scene was really short, but there were so many incredible things running through my mind as we were shooting. First, there I was acting in a scene in which I was portraying a genetic female interviewer. The actor I was working with, Mica, was playing Christina, and Mica did not identify as transgender. I had never been in a situation in which a non-transgender person was depicting the transgender dilemma.

There was something very powerful in that moment for me. It was probably the first time I ever felt like I was engaged in portraying a different role for the purpose of educating people about the transgender community. Everyone working on this project was acting, and somehow that made it something bigger than us. So much that I had learned to take for granted became real again. There was a sense of transformation happening on multiple levels, both in front of and behind the camera.

Monika: You’ve been involved in advocacy for years, how did your experience on Chris/tina change your perspective on storytelling?

Dana: I’ve been involved in the transgender rights movement for many years. I’ve taken a behind-the-scenes role, but I have also spoken at many press conferences and given testimony at a few statehouse hearings. Funny enough, I always felt as though I was acting then, even though I was telling my own story. My role in Chris/tina offered me some insight into the power of telling stories through an entertainment vehicle. It’s something I would like to continue to do in the future. I realized that fiction can often reveal truths in a way that facts alone cannot. Through art, we create empathy, and that’s where the magic happens. 

Monika: What was it like being on set and receiving the kind of care actors often do?

Dana: Did I mention that I had a makeup and hairstylist? My makeup artist was incredible, and while she was working on me she asked how I became involved in the project. Her jaw dropped when I told her I was a transsexual playing the part of the interviewer. For me, naturally, that was a great success, not being clocked by someone working so close to my face. But it also opened us up to a ton of Q&A. I discovered that she was really drawn to the project because of its cutting-edge theme and felt that it was special to be a part of it. She and I still keep in touch quite often. That was just awesome and something I wish I could wake up to every morning. I felt really special having them pay so much attention to my look, they did such a fabulous job too! It was a surreal yet affirming experience, one that reminded me just how far I had come and how much beauty there is in being seen.

 

On set for "Everyone Matters".

 

Monika: Who are some actresses or performers, famous or under the radar, who inspire you or whose work you especially enjoy?

Dana: I do. I admire the work of legends like Jodie Foster, but there are also a few lesser-known artists for whom I have a ton of respect. I mostly enjoy female comics. There's something deeply powerful about women using humor to challenge norms and tell the truth in unexpected ways. Their ability to own the stage and shift perspectives through laughter really resonates with me.

Monika: Has anything exciting been keeping you busy lately, any creative ventures or bold new passions you've taken on?

Dana: Not just now, although I’m always looking for the right opportunity. I did start a new hobby last year that I’m really proud of, one that I’ve wanted to do since I was pretty young. About three years ago, I started training to learn how to race superbike motorcycles, and I just completed my first rookie race season. We are starting to see more and more women racers on the pro and amateur circuit these days, and many have been terrific supporters of mine. I even won a race or two! In fact, I took first place in my last race of the season this year, although it came with a hefty price, as I crashed during a low-side and broke my left patella. It was painful, but also an oddly proud moment, proof of how far I’ve come. I’m already looking forward to healing up and getting back on the track with even more confidence.

 

Dana carving through turn 4 on her Ducati 848 Superbike.

 

Monika: Looking back to the early days of your transition, did you have any transgender pioneers who inspired you or shaped your perspective?

Dana: I did, Professor Lynn Conway. Lynn really opened my eyes to the evolving culture and spirit of acceptance of transgender women in American society. Most of my reading from other transgender women spoke about successful transitions in terms of going into the closet. Generally, when I thought about transitioning, the notion of reinventing my entire life was not at all appealing to me. I wasn’t ashamed of the things I had accomplished prior to my transition, in spite of any challenges I might have faced.

Lynn, who maintained a stealthy existence for the majority of her corporate career, decided to take her outing by one of her graduate students as a teaching opportunity. She saw her outing as a chance to educate people on our struggles, but more importantly, to help them see just how many similarities everyone shares. That was an incredibly powerful message, and it was incredibly well accepted, largely because of her academic and professional accomplishments. Her courage helped me see that visibility could be meaningful when grounded in authenticity. It gave me permission to be proud of both who I was and who I was becoming.

Adjusting the GoPro before a race.

Monika: That’s such a powerful example. When you started speaking publicly yourself, did you feel ready to take on that kind of role?

Dana: A dear friend of mine, Ethan, once cautioned me that too many transgender people thrust themselves into the public eye long before they’ve found comfort in their own skin. More often than not, their lack of a clear message resulted in more confusion rather than education. A few years later, when Prof. Conway asked me to share my story, I was terrified that I might do our community a disservice. Fortunately, I was able to refine what I wanted to convey, and those initial thoughts have really defined my voice in the community. I’ve learned that authenticity grows over time, and sometimes the most powerful advocacy comes from quiet confidence. Sharing my story helped me not only connect with others, but also understand myself in new ways.

Monika: You've lived such a dynamic and multifaceted life. Have you ever considered writing a memoir to capture your journey and inspire others?

Dana: I’ve been asked this question before, and I suppose my gut reaction is always the same. I think the best is yet to come, and even though I believe my story is interesting, it’s nowhere close to unfolding. I know that I’ve had an extremely blessed life, which has offered me so many wonderful opportunities.

I suppose at some point someone will ask me that question again, and I’ll nod, knowing that it’s the right time. There’s still so much I want to explore and achieve before I sit down to reflect in book form. But when the moment feels right, I’d love to create something honest and hopeful for others to connect with.

Monika: Dana, thank you for the interview!

All the photos: courtesy of Dana Zircher.

© 2014 - Monika Kowalska

  

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