FALL 2023
ORDER OF CEREMONY WELCOME REMARKS Tim Marsden
Chief Information Security Officer, Stifel
CLASS SPEAKER Melissa Residor
Fall 2023 Tech Fundamentals
ALUMNI SPEAKER Katie Horton
Fall 2022 Tech Fundamentals
PRESENTATION OF CLASS AWARDS John Harrington
Assistant Technical Instructor
James Gillespie
Placement Manager
Matt Holton
SVP Market Enablement, MasterCard
AWARD RECIPIENTS Melissa Residor
Esteemed Professional Award
Keith Williams
NPower Academic Excellence Award
Dominique Scott
The Kayla Patterson Legacy Award
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Ben Kesler
Executive Director, NPower Missouri
PROGRAM COMPLETION CERTIFICATE CEREMONY Erica Huddleston Site Director
Closing Remarks Erica Huddleston
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OUR STORY NPower is a nonprofit rooted in the community and committed to advancing race and gender equity in the tech industry through skills training, real-world experience, support, and mentorships. The organization has helped young adults from underserved communities and veterans move from poverty to the middle class by training them with a range of tech skills and placing them in quality jobs. Students who enter our free training programs earn industry-recognized certifications and graduate with the competencies of an IT professional with one to two years of experience. NPower also places students in paid internships and apprenticeships with corporate and nonprofit organizations. Eighty percent of NPower graduates get a full-time job or continue their education. NPower is a vital solution towards bridging the national talent gap that exists in the high-growth technology industry. Over the past decade, NPower has expanded its program reach and developed a robust network of Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized enterprises, government agencies, staffing firms, and a network of nonprofit partners that host its interns and hire its graduates full-time. To learn more about NPower, visit npower.org.
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NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Matt Horner, CHAIR
Ami Desai
Diane Schwarz
Gail Fierstein, VICE CHAIR
Guillermo Diaz, Jr.
Dwight D. Shepherd
Steve Murphy, SECRETARY
Michael Fey
Executive Vice President World Wide Technology, Inc.
Director, Office of the CEO Vista Equity Partners
SVP, Global Head of People CaaStle
Founder and CEO Conectado, Inc.
Sr. Managing Director, Financial Services Industry Solutions Lead Accenture
Viola Maxwell-Thompson, TREASURER
CEO Emeritus Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF)
Michael Fugett, BOARD OBSERVER
Co-Founder & CEO Island
Keir D. Gumbs
General Counsel Edward Jones
Kateau James
Global Chief Operating Officer Deloitte Technology
U.S. ARMY, NPower TX Graduate VP, Production Management Citi
Tony Kerrison
Luisana Estevez, BOARD OBSERVER
Jennifer Kleinert
NPower NY Graduate | VP, Data Center Production Operations Engineer Meta
Gerald Charles Jr.
VP and Head of Product for Omni Customer Servicing Capital One
Dean Del Vecchio
EVP, Chief of Operations and CIO The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
Chief Technology Officer Bank of America Chief Operating Officer, Enterprise Infrastructure Operations & Technology Citi
Mark Patterson
VP, Chief Information Officer Johnson Controls Director, Federal Government Client Relations REAR ADMIRAL (RETIRED) IBM
Anupam Singhal
President, Manufacturing Tata Consultancy Services
Josh Sutton
Chief Executive Officer Agorai
Peter Trizzino
President, North America Sales Dell Technologies
Sangy Vatsa
Founder Digital Insights, LLC
Bertina Ceccarelli
Chief Executive Officer NPower
SVP, Chief of Staff to Chair & CEO Cisco Systems
Frank Pedersen
Digital Transformation Executive
David Reilly
Tech Executive
REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Nicole Tate, CHAIR
Justin McFarland
Michael Rupinski
Area Vice President, Global Client Enablement World Wide Technology
Executive Vice President - Information Technology McCarthy Holdings, Inc.
Vice President Keeley Companies
Terrence Griffin
Brian Mize
Custom Software Engineering Associate Accenture Federal Services
Department Manager, Global Cyber Security Information Security Office Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
Vice President, Academy Engagement & Impact NAF
Matt Holton Senior Vice President, Operations & Technology, NAM Mastercard
Matt Rakers
Gerry Lewis
Scott Richert
Chief Information Officer US Radiology Specialists
CIO Mercy
Executive Director, IT Shared Services KPMG
Reedy Wade
Chris Wegmann Senior Managing Director Accenture
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COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Ben Kensler
Executive Director, Missouri Prior to being named the Executive Director, Ben served as both the Program and Placement Director at NPower Missouri – where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Tech Fundamental program. Ben is committed to providing access to high-wage careers for all learners from all socioeconomic backgrounds and creating opportunities for those from non-traditional education paths. Before joining NPower, Ben was the Director of Career Services at recording artist, Nelly’s music production school (EI by Nelly) in downtown St. Louis. Ben has a record of success in the music industry, himself, working with ten GRAMMY-winning artists in the roles of either audio engineer or guitarist. He is also a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMYs) and an adjunct professor at Webster University School of Communication’s audio department. Additionally, he is a board member for the St. Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective and an advisory board member for Maryville University’s College of Computer Sciences.
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ALUMNI SPEAKER Katie Horton Katie is an NPower alumna from the Fall 2022 cohort. She joined the program to obtain her CompTIA certification. Prior to that, Katie earned a bachelor’s degree in music business from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. She graduated from NPower’s Tech Fundamentals program in December 2022, obtaining multiple certifications. Following graduation, she secured a position as a Desktop Support Specialist at Apex Systems (BJC). Shortly thereafter, she landed a position as a Help Desk IT Support Worker with Stifel. After eight months of working diligently, Katie was promoted to a Senior Service Desk Analyst position at Stifel.
CLASS SPEAKER Melissa Residor
Fall 2023 Tech Fundamentals “The tech industry boom in the last few years has always piqued my interest, and I wanted to learn more. That’s when NPower came to mind.”
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KEY CLASS STATISTICS Tech Fundamentals Fall 2023
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53%
GRADUATES ARE WOMEN
87%
GRADUATES ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR
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GRADUATE BIOS
Tyshauna Allen, 22
Maisaa Shalibi, 26
Before joining NPower, I was working and searching
Before NPower, I worked at jobs where I knew I could
for a career path. I came across NPower through an
never reach my full potential. I was introduced to NPower
advertisement on social media. At NPower, I acquired
through a family member I met in Missouri who had taken
essential IT skills, learned professional skills, and improved
the course. While here at NPower, I received my Google
my time management abilities. After completing the
IT Certificate, CompTIA ITF+, and soon my CompTIA A+!
program, I intend to pursue internships and further my
I have gained support from my instructors, counselors,
education in IT.
and classmates, which has given me the confidence to keep pushing forward. After graduation, I intend to get a job in IT, and hopefully, I will then be able to continue my education and receive my certification in Security+.
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LaVerta Brown, 25
Keith Williams, 26
Before NPower, I was a home health aide for my disabled
Before NPower, I held my Commercial Driver and Realtor
mother. The reason for me joining NPower was to broaden
Licenses. I was introduced to NPower by a good friend,
my knowledge to be able to set up a better future for my
and my time at NPower allowed me to obtain multiple
family. At NPower, I built meaningful connections with
certifications. I plan on starting a new career in the tech
spectacular individuals who care and want to see you
industry with my new skills.
win! I was able to accomplish certifications in Google IT support. After graduation, I plan to start my own Mobile troubleshooting business - helping older people navigate new technology advances. I plan to pass on my experience to others who want to better themselves and their future goals.
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GRADUATE BIOS
Josiah Stovall, 24
TySuan Stuart, 25
Before NPower, I had recently graduated college and was
Before NPower, I was and still am working full-time in the
finding myself only able to land sales jobs. I wanted to
construction industry. What brought me to NPower was
return to school for computer science, but financially, I
a referral from a friend in the previous Cohort. My time at
could not. I was introduced to NPower through a friend
NPower gave me the necessary certifications, totaling six
who completed the program and was able to land an
thus far, and the knowledge to pursue a career path in IT.
engineering role and raved about how much NPower had
After graduation, I plan to start my new opportunity with
to offer. I have always loved technology and knew the
WWT. I will learn more about the position with them after
program aligned with my future goals. During my time at
my in-person interview next month.
NPower, I was able to deepen my IT knowledge and gain multiple certifications. After graduating, I plan to begin my career and continue educating myself however I can. Specifically, I am interested in programming and cloud computing, which I believe will reshape the future of technology.
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Joseph Model, 27
Dominique Scott, 26
Before NPower, I worked at Amazon and changed jobs
Before NPower, I lived in Alabama, working 60-plus hours
after returning to St. Louis. I was introduced to NPower
a week in a plant building cars. My cousin, SeVonne Clark,
by my fiancé’s undergrad classmate, who happened to be
a previous graduate, introduced me to NPower. I was able
an instructor in the NPower program. During my time with
to obtain Google IT fundamentals certifications as well as
NPower, I got my Google IT support and ITF + certificates,
the opportunity to take the ITF+ and A+ exams. I plan to
which helped build my confidence again. After graduation,
get a job or internship with my new skills and grow and
I plan to pursue a job in IT with my current employer,
develop my knowledge.
try to grow from within, and continue to gain more knowledge and certifications in IT.
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GRADUATE BIOS
DeVaughn Harris, 25
Nathan Finn, 21
Before NPower, I worked plumbing and at Amazon, trying
Before NPower, I was doing odd jobs and assisting people I
to figure out the whole thing. My friend Gando, an NPower
knew with technical problems. I was introduced to NPower
alum, introduced me to NPower, and my time at NPower
through an alumni turned instructor, Jack Harrington. My
helped me attain various certifications and professional
time at NPower allowed me to shore up my knowledge
development. After graduation, I plan to further my
of the IT field and attain proper certifications that can be
education with NPower in Security Plus.
used to showcase my skills (ITF+, A+, Google IT). After graduation, I plan to get into an IT job to support me while I work on my passions.
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Melissa Residor, 26
Savannah Williams, 18
Before NPower, I worked in healthcare, traveling as an
Before NPower, I was finishing high school and searching
MRI technologist. I enjoyed the work, but after a few
for an alternative to college. My sister, who participated
years, I grew bored. The tech industry boom in the last
in the program, introduced me to NPower and had good
few years has always piqued my interest, and I wanted
things to say. My time at NPower helped me develop good
to learn more. That’s when NPower came to mind. I was
study habits, time management skills, and a significant
introduced to NPower by a friend of a friend who went
amount of tech knowledge. After I graduate, I plan to
through the program before me and has seen great
pursue a job in tech and continue to apply what I learned
success, so it was a no-brainer. After working in my field
through NPower and the new skills and information I gain
for two years, I decided to look online and see if I could
throughout my career.
make my transition into tech. That’s when I was reminded of NPower. During my time at NPower, I have been able to obtain two certifications (working on the third), and I was able to connect with companies and hiring managers at some of the top companies in St. Louis. With my new skills, I hope to work as an analyst or data scientist in the data space.
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GRADUATE BIOS
Bartholomew Smarr, 19
Katrina Trimble
Before NPower, I was looking for a career in something. I
Before NPower, I was working as a Behavior Technician for
was really lost until I found NPower. What brought me to
children with autism. I had a desire to learn a new skill to
NPower was my girlfriend suggesting it to me after college
help build a career in technology, so I applied for NPower.
wasn’t working out for me. My time at NPower gave me
During the program, I obtained my Google IT Support
skills I’ve always wanted, and with NPower, it turned a
and CompTIA ITF+ certifications and experienced a paid
four-year degree into a few months. After I graduate, I
project opportunity. After graduation, I plan to apply the
plan to work as much as possible and possibly return to
skills and knowledge I’ve learned over the past six months
complete the Cybersecurity course.
to begin a new career.
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Damon Bonds
Delvecchio Tickle
Deon Boyd
Dor Lisa Buford
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GRADUATE BIOS
Hafsa Ali
Kailani Scott
Andre Smith
Loniquitta Tremble
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Malik McCollum
Reginald Holmes
Raljada Bell
Abdulrahman Hamad
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CONGRATULATIONS
michigan missouri
FALL 2023 Tech Fundamentals Hafsa Ali Tyshauna Allen Raljada Bell Damon Bonds LaVerta Bowles-Brown Deon Boyd Dor Lisa Buford Ladaisha Clay Sabria Cox Nathan Finn Abdulrahman Hamad Alexander Hockaday Reginald Holmes Tanisha Madison Malik Mccollum Joseph Model
Melissa Residor Kailani Scott Dominique Scott Maisaa Shalibi Bartholomew Smarr Andre Smith Hesiris Staples-bey ii Josiah Stovall TySuan Stuart Delvecchio Tickle Loniquitta Tremble Katrina Trimble Savannah Williams Keith Williams Sarah Williams
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80%
> Of students who enroll graduate > Of alumni get jobs or continue their education (Based on NPower’s national data)
LAUNCHING TECH CAREERS.
TRANSFORMING LIVES NPower’s model is a solution to building a diverse tech pipeline. Our graduates launch tech
jobs with an average starting salary of $41,000–$60,000 and are positioned to advance their career path, enabling them to earn more than their peers in lower-wage jobs. Higher earning potential is the key to breaking generational cycles of poverty, positioning our students and their families to achieve long-term economic success.
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We are the
FUTURE OF WORK Through partner and tech industry collaboration, our free training model is a workforce development solution for the future. In today’s economy, over 50% of all jobs require some degree of technology and digital skills. We prepare untapped, diverse talent to fill the number of technology-oriented jobs that will increase in the U.S. to 13 million by 2025, according to a recent Microsoft Data Science report that estimates that digital job capacity. Our graduates of over 8,000 veterans and young adults are hired at over 3,000 companies and nonprofits as interns and full-time employees. NPower is on a mission to create pathways to economic prosperity by launching digital careers for young adults and military veterans from underserved communities. Part of this goal is supported by our Command Shift Coalition, a national consortium of women and allies that advocate for strategies that invest in and inspire the advancement of young women of color in tech careers and aims to increase the representation of women of color in tech from 5% to 10% over the next 10 years. This coalition was sparked by ‘40 by 22’, a NPower initiative to help young women of color access the skills needed to launch careers in the tech industry in partnership with Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative.
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THANK YOU
to our employment partners, funders and volunteers FUNDERS Ameriprise Financial Ascension Technologies AT&T Boeing Centene Clayco Dennis and Judy Jones Family Foundation Emerson Enterprise Holdings First Bank Home State Health Light A Single Candle Foundation Mastercard Mccarthy Holdings Inc Mercy Millstone Capital Advisors Morgan Stanley (Dennis and Judy Jones Family Foundation) NISA/Rio Vista Fund Nourishing - A Schnucks Foundation Pershing Charitable Trust Pott Foundation Regional Business Council REJIS/Gateway to Innovation Rio Vista Fund Stifel Technology Partners The Saigh Foundation United Way of Greater St. Louis William and Laura
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Orthwein Foundation WWT ZeroDay Technology Solutions Jazz IT Up and Individual Donors PARTNERS Accenture Accenture Federal Services Aerotek Blue Star Families Centene Corporation CFX City of St. Louis Clayco Cortex CyberUp Dell Edward Jones Express Scripts GASA STL GCC Girls, Inc. Greater St. Louis Inc Harris Stowe State University HSSU ITSMF Keeley Construction KPMG LaunchCode Maryville University Mastercard McCarthy Building Companies Mercy Merge IT MO Senate Nestle Nisa Investments NTIA
Per Scholas RBC Rejis Rung for Women SLATE St. Louis County St. Louis Office of the Treasury St. Louis Public Schools St. Louis Youth Jobs St. Louis Zoo Stifel Bank STL County DHS STL TV St. Louis Community College Strategic and Community Partners Technology Partners TechSTL The Federal Reserve Bank The Wyman Center United Way University City School District Urban League Washington University World Wide Technology YouthBuild VOLUNTEERS Christopher Abrams Ashley AugustineJohnson Simon Bernie Krista Bistline Maureen Blazevic Aaron Brown Michelle Camden Melissa Carron
Patricia Colef Julie Cruz Alfredo Diaz Noris Espinal Rosemary Ganey Irina Goldovskaya Sharon Gordon Sharon Gordon Deana Griffin Shari Griffin Jana Groner Skopec Sybil Gutjahr Chris Harrell David Hartley Syed Hassas Katelind Hosie Damita Jacobs Sanjay Kohli Denise Marcelt Tra Matthewson Anne May JeanDavid Mesidor Monica Millen Ryan Moore John Moretti Shalini Nagpal Parissa Pandkhou Summer Patel Keerti Purohitit James Reynolds Archana Sajeev Tawanda Schultz Vidhya Seran Pradipta Sinha Windel Taylor Amber Tompkins Zendra Ulmer Syed Hassan Uzzaman Robert Vezina Enrique Vidal Jerry Walker
NATIONAL PATHWAY BUILDERS Pathway Builders are individual donors invested in the future of our country and changing lives for military veterans and young adults from underserved communities. To learn more about Pathway Builders or to join this group of changemakers, please visit npower.org/support or email hello@npower.org.
AMBASSADOR Ronald Gula Thomas Kurian Peter Trizzino
CHAMPION
Christiane Costello Paul Daugherty Dean Del Vecchio Michael Doumani Matt Horner Jennifer Kleinert Brian McCarthy Steve Murphy Mark Patterson Chris Perry David Reilly Ron Robbins
PARTNER
Craig Cuffie Guillermo Diaz Jr. Gail Fierstein Shane Fitzsimons Tony Kerrison Debra King Rick Scurfield Josh Sutton Cliff Thomas Sangy Vatsa Perry Wright Lori Zugelder
SUPPORTER
Katherine Avery Nic & Sasha Barnes Robert Benoit Stefanie Boles Marletta Boyd II Marletta Boyd Sr. David Boyle Michael Bridges Dale Brooks Kristie Carney Gerald Charles Jr. Benjamin Cole Hannah Craven Richard Dames Quincy Davis Carl De Groote Groote Richard DePalma Mike Elmore Amy Gnagy Demetrius Goodwin Michael Gregoire Mark Heil Rhonda Henley Matt Holton Cindy Hoots Hubbard Family Charitable Foundation Olivia Jackson Brooke Jaffe Timothy Lyons George Maddaloni Fernando Matzkin Viola Maxwell-Thompson Richard Mclaughlin Peter McNamara
David Miller Robert Millstone Brian Mize Kevin & Melissa Modica Brian Mooney Tristan Morel L’Horset David Niles Rodrick O’Connor Jonathan Orr Frank Pedersen Shane Pfannes Stephen Poeppe Greg Raimann Jose Reyes John Rosato Jessica Roy Michael Rupinski Diane Schwartz William Shea Dwight Shepherd Randy Siedl James Smith David Sullivan Nicole Tate Coriel Taylor Zachary Vendeiro Harish Venkitaramanan Scott Wilton Judy Winter-Giella
FRIEND
Einat Burshtine Damon Downing Benjamin Hyman Tanya Loh Susanne Tedrick
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NATIONAL NPOWER SUPPORTERS Underwriters $750K+
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NATIONAL NPOWER SUPPORTERS Sponsors $250K-$749K
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NATIONAL NPOWER SUPPORTERS Partners $100K-$249K The Abell Foundation
General Motors
Mass Mutual
SHI International Corp.
The Ainslie Foundation
Globant
Ascension
The Hearst Foundations
Missouri Department of Economic Development
Standard & Poor’s Corporation
Atlas Data Systems
Hewlett Packard Company
NetApp
State of Maryland
Bloomberg LLP
Hitachi
Boeing
Infinidat
New Jersey Department of Labor
St. Louis Regional Business Council
Capital One Financial Corp.
Ira W. De Camp Foundation
New York City
Tata Consultancy Services
The New York Community Trust
Texas Mutual Insurance Company
Oracle
Texas Workforce Commission
Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation Check Point Software Technologies, LTD The Beth & Ravenel Curry Foundation Ernst & Young Fiserv Inc. Fortinet, Inc.
John & Marcia Goldman Foundation Kaiser Permanente
Palo Alto Networks Patrick J McGovern Foundation
Twilio
L’Oreal Groupe
Rainwater Charitable Foundation
Wipro Technologies
Light a Single Candle Foundation
The San Jose Sharks Foundation
Kapor Center KPMG U.S. Foundation, Inc.
Verizon Foundation Workday Foundation Zendesk
Supporters $50K-$99K The Achelis & Bodman Foundation
Communities Foundation of Texas
Amazon
Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan
Andreessen Horowitz Cultural Leadership Fund
Consumers Energy
Koret Foundation
The Saigh Foundation
Maryland - AIF
S&P Global Inc.
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Salesforce.com Foundation
SS&C Technologies, Inc.
Society for Information Management
Arista Networks, Inc.
Corteva
Armis Inc.
Data Dynamics, Inc.
Maryland Department of Labor
Auth0 Inc.
Elasticsearch
Mastercard
BAE Systems
Emerson
Merck & Co., Inc
Texas Workforce Commission
Benevity Fund
OKTA, Inc.
Broadcom Inc.
Flextronics International USA, Inc.
United Way of Southeastern Michigan
The Centene Charitable Foundation
Henry & Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Foundation
City of Dayton
IBM
Cohesity
ING Financial Markets LLC
The Rockefeller Foundation
Comerica
Intel Corporation
Rubrik
OneTen The William R. Orthwein, Jr. Foundation, Inc.
State of New Jersey - PACE
United Way of Tarrant County VMware inc. Wells Fargo Bank Wilson Sheehan Foundation
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NATIONAL NPOWER SUPPORTERS Friends $25K-$49K The Addy Foundation
BravoTECH
Hudson’s Bay Company
Service Now
ADP Foundation Inc.
Bright Funds
Humble Bumble
State Street
Adobe Systems Inc
Clayco
JobsFirstNYC
Ally Financial
Con Edison
The Kimball Foundation
Super Micro Computer, Inc.
The Altum Fund
The Dauber Foundation
Mainline RTP
American Direct Marketing
Dugas Family Foundation Inc
Mercy Caritas
Appian Corporation
F5, Inc.
Appteon
FIS Global
Baltimore Gas and Electric Company
GalaxE Solutions, Inc.
Nourishing – A Schnucks Foundation
Gateway to Innovation
Baltimore Nonprofit Relief Fund
NPower Canada
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
Nutanix Inc
HCL Technologies
Own Company
The Graham and Carolyn Holloway Family Foundation
The Pott Foundation
Baltimore Women’s Giving Circle Beyond Identity
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NetApp Inc. New York City Council
Royal Bank of Canada
UKG Inc. Under Armour
CHANGING THE FUTURE OF TECH TOGETHER New York | New Jersey | Texas | California | Maryland | Missouri | Michigan | North Carolina | Ohio
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