NPower Missouri Spring 2023 Tech Fundamentals Graduation Book

TECH FUNDAMENTALS

Spring 2023 Tech Fundamentals Graduation Program

WELCOME REMARKS

Matt Horner

Executive Vice President, Global Enterprise Sales World Wide Technology, Chair of NPower National Board of Directors

ALUMNI SPEAKER INTRODUCTION

Darnell “DJ” Brown Alumni Engagement Manager

ALUMNI SPEAKER

Bryon Pierson

Fall 2019

STUDENT SPEAKER INTRODUCTION

Tia Byrd Recruitment & Admissions Manager

STUDENT SPEAKER

Ah’monie Claxton

AWARD PRESENTATIONS

Jana Chavez Technical Instructor

James Gillespie II Placement Manager

Robert White Social Support Manager

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENTS

John “Jack” Harrington

Denitra Like

ESTEEMED PROFESSIONAL AWARD RECIPIENTS

Tabias Edwards

Ah’monie Claxton

BETTER WAY AWARD RECIPIENTS

Byron Brownlee

Joshua Reddick

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER INTRO

Ben Kesler

Executive Director, NPower Missouri

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER

Nicole Tate

Area Vice President, Global Client Enablement, World Wide Technology, Chair of NPower Missouri Regional Advisory Board

PROGRAM COMPLETION CERTIFICATE CEREMONY

LaJuan Williams

Placement Manager

CLOSING REMARKS

Ben Kesler

Executive Director, NPower Missouri

Our Story

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

the competencies of an IT professional with one to two years of experience. NPower also places students

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 partners that host its interns and hire its graduates full-time. To learn more about NPower, visit www.npower.org.

National Board of Directors

Matt Horner | Chair Executive Vice President, Global Enterprise Sales World Wide Technology

Gail Fierstein | Vice President SVP, Global Head of People

CaaStle

Stephen M. Murphy | Secretary Sr. Managing Director, Financial Services Technology Global Lead Accenture

Viola Maxwell-Thompson | Treasurer CEO Emeritus Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF)

Michael Fugett | Board Observer NPower TX Graduate - VP, Production Management - U.S. Army - Citi

Luisana Estevez | Board Observer NPower NY Graduate - VP, Data Center Production Operations Engineer - Meta

Gerald Charles Jr. VP and Head of Product for Omni Customer Servicing Capital One

HSBC

Dean Del Vecchio EVP, Chief of Operations and CIO

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America

Ami Desai Chief of Staff to Founder, Chairman & CEO

Guillermo Diaz, Jr. Founder & CEO Conectado, Inc.

Michael Fey Co-Founder & CEO Island

Kateau James Deloitte Technology

Tony Kerrison

Bank of America

Debra King

Bunge

Jennifer Kleinert

Infrastructure Operations & Technology Citi

MISSOURI REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD

Nicole Tate | Chair

Area Vice President, Global Client Enablement World Wide Technology

Custom Software Engineering Associate Accenture Federal Services

Matt Holton

Senior Vice President, Operations & Technology, NAM, Mastercard

Gerry Lewis

US Radiology Specialists

Justin McFarland

Mark Patterson SVP, Chief of Staff to Chairman & CEO

Cisco Systems

Frank Pedersen Partner

Apply Digital

David Reilly Tech Excecutive

Diane Schwarz

Johnson Controls

Dwight D. Shepherd REAR ADMIRAL (RETIRED)

Executive Strategy & Standards, BISO IBM

Anupam Singhal Senior Vice President and Business Head

Tata Consultancy Services

Josh Sutton

Agorai

Peter Trizzino President Dell Technologies Select

Sangy Vatsa Founder Digital Insights, LLC

Bertina Ceccarelli

NPower

Executive Vice President - Information Technology, McCarthy Holdings, Inc.

Brian Mize Department Manager, Global Cyber Security

Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

Matt Rakers Executive Director, IT Shared Services, KPMG

Scott Richert CIO, Mercy

Michael Rupinski

Vice President, Keeley Companies

Reedy Wade Vice President, Academy Engagement & Impact, NAF

Chris Wegmann

Senior Managing Director, Accenture

Commencement Speaker

Nicole Tate

Vice President of Enterprise Business Development & Client Enablement World Wide Technology

“Nicole has been with WWT since 1998 in various roles across Consulting, IT, Corporate Business Development and Sales. Currently, she is the Vice President of Enterprise Business Development & Client Enablement focused on evaluating and executing new go-to-market strategies and implementing strategic organization process improvements in the sales organization. She is also a member of WWT’s D&I Executive Advisory Committee. Nicole graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a B.S in Economics. In the community, she serves on the boards of NPower St. Louis and the Boys and Girls Club of St. Louis. Nicole is inspired daily by her husband, Corey Tate, and their four children.”

Alumni Speaker

Bryon Pierson

“Byron is the Founder and CEO of EDUrain and a 2019 NPower Alumnus. At the age of 15, Bryon bravely left home and fought a court case for his independence. He self-funded his college education, taking on a debt of over $60K while learning from his mistakes. Over the last six years, Byronnancial process and housing concerns. He also completed entrepreneurial and tech training programs in 2019. Byron has a keen interest in LGBT enrollment and retention measures and advocates for minority students in college life, especially regarding housing and school funding. His research experience and passion led to the establishment of EDUrain. EDUrain collaborates with colleges acrossketplaces.”

Student Speaker

Ah’monie Claxton

“I am a single mother of a four-year-old daughter and currently employed at Wells Fargo Advisor as a Securities Operations Representative. I realized that I wanted

will remain relevant for generations to come. A friend of mine and NPower alum, Devine Wells, referred me to NPower. My experience at NPower was life-changing, and it gave me a sense of reassurance that anything is possible, regardless of your circumstances. During my training at NPower, I developed my Information Technology skills while renewing my professional skills

PD Days with Coach Rob. Although I faced challenges with balancing my personal and school life, I persisted by reminding myself of my why statement and giving my all on tough days. My goal after NPower is to esta-

Accenture for at least a year. Ultimately, I hope to invest and secure funding for my business start-up costs for A’Haven Space L.L.C.”

Statistics

The curriculum for this program includes a NetAcad learning module courtesy of the Cisco Networking Academy.

93%

93% People of Color

Graduate Bios

Denitra Like Age, 25

After graduating college, I wanted to continue my education by getting my master’s. Fortunately, a friend introduced me to NPower and found a program of interest to me. NPower will allow me to

at no cost and in less time. I was ecstatic to be accepted into the program. What makes it better is that I can continue using resources through NPower as an alumna.

Age, 19

practical experience. Then, unexpectedly, NPower came into my life and allowed me to learn about

and obstacles I have successfully overcome. One of the biggest hurdles was feeling discouraged about the program’s complexity and doubting my abilities. Nevertheless, I persisted, kept studying, and reminded myself of my aspirations. Now, as a -

roll in NPower’s Cyber Security Course to develop my skills and knowledge further.

David McKay

Shaw Age, 23

Before I stumbled upon NPower, I grappled to

My lack of a clear long-term strategy added to my worries. Then, a friend, who was also a part of the program, introduced me to NPower. This proved to be a turning point in my life as it gave me a sense of direction toward achieving my goals. Upon completion of the program, my immediate goal is to secure an internship. I plan to obtain

pertise further and leverage it to pursue a career in the media industry.

Martin Age, 25

I used to be a travel nurse but grew tired of the -

The holistic healing approach helped me cope with challenges, and professional development challenges. I aspire to become a successful prohealth-related events worldwide.

Jaelyn

Jasmine

My time at NPower has been nothing short of exceptional. I cannot speak highly enough of the dedication shown by both my classmates and teachers alike. Throughout my studies, it felt like we were all working towards a common goal, making the experience even more valuable. Mo-

career to the next level. I am incredibly grateful for NPower’s opportunities and look forward to implementing my newfound knowledge.

try. A friend and graduate, Isaiah Love, introduced me to NPower. During my time at NPower, I became aware of the digital divide, and this motivated me to gain knowledge and become familiar with contemporary and future technologies. Furthermore, NPower has instilled in me the belief that learning is never-ending and that it’s all right

completing my studies, I aspire to work as an IT professional, specializing in developing computer systems or assisting in creating and resolving medical charting databases.

Joshua Reddick Age, 24

Milanne Bell-Fox Age, 24 -

Shields Age, 22

full-time as a Clerk at the United States Postal Services. Although my family had recommended a similar IT program, it was situated at an incon-

ce. Fortunately, I chanced upon NPower, which proved to be a precious resource in improving present career. Having completed the program, abilities.

Like Age, 24

while simultaneously working to pay off my college tuition to complete my Economics degree. I was on the hunt for better-paying opportunities that were aligned with my desired career path. Although I attempted to apply to another free tech program, its in-person format was not feasible for me as a working mother. Thankfully, NPower was recommended and has been one of

a sense of accomplishment in my education, and NPower delivered. During the program, I gained knowledge of computer assembly and disassem-

printer issues such as ink smearing, blank pages, and horizontal lines. Additionally, I cherished the weekend study sessions I shared with Jana.

Takyra

Mya

Harrington Age, 19

Before Npower, I was a site support technician at Mercy Hospital. The problem was that I had go; I had no direction. Even before that, I was trying to go to college, and I didn’t have the time or motivation, especially during the pandemic. I had a hard time adapting to virtual learning and keeping myself accountable. My coworker told me about Npower, which has changed my life. It accelerated my tech career and gave me a path to focus on. During Npower, I learned the skills I -

tinue my career in tech and hopefully move into cybersecurity.

Porter Age, 19

I am a graduate of the St. Louis NPower class of -

to pursue. At NPower, I learned things from basic IT fundamentals to advance and even about my classmates. It helped me network with people and better understand IT. After graduating from have earned. I am also proud to have earned my am grateful for the opportunity that NPower provided me.

Jack

Elijah

Before NPower, I worked in the insurance industry, looking to guide individuals in selecting coverage to meet their needs best. What brought me to NPower is the raving reviews I’ve heard from friends and family that also participated in the program. While at NPower, I experienced nothing but encouragement and the ability to get my foot in the door with technology. After graduation, I plan on applying all of the skills I’ve learned at my new internship that I was able to secure by going through this program!

llence, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t my true calling. A burning desire to return to school and passions compelled me to seek a career path in the dynamic world of IT. It was through a dear friend who had previously experienced the transformative power of NPower that I was introduced to this remarkable program. Curiosity sparked within me, propelling me to explore what NPower stood for and the extraordinary possibilities it held for my future. Throughout my imbursed experience with NPower, I have achieved certi-

U61, which I may never have pursued without the invaluable guidance of this program. Driven by unwavering determination, I am resolute in my commitment to further expand my expertise -

med with this newfound knowledge, I am poised aligns perfectly with my personality and leverages my enhanced skillset.

Deja Williams Age, 21

Byron Brownlee Age, 26 -

ternships in Dallas. I wanted a path to my desired destination. NPower in Dallas is perfect for me as it can change my life. NPower helped me develop IT skills and provided a clear roadmap to success, thanks to instructor guidance, staff support, and camaraderie with fellow trainees—my goal after

way up in the company. I’m interested in Data & AI, IT Service Management, and Software to pursue a career in blockchain and web3 technologies. NPower prepared me for the fast-paced world of technology.

local warehouse. However, already being in IT as a college student, I found it hard to manage the

NPower in early 2020 and was able to come back from the program after freeing my schedule. What brought me to NPower was schedule

life, and balance. My time at NPower gave me in computer science. We are currently learning Linux, python, and we like magic tricks, solutional troubleshooting on your local pc and even my

plan on studying more Python, troubleshooting, and even Game development. NPower was there when I was at my lowest. But now I see opportunities on the horizon.

Tabias Edwards Age, 22

Ty Ivory Age, 26

both work and school. However, I decided to leabelieving this opportunity could be life-changing. I was met with various challenges throughout and reassurance needed to continue striving for goal is to leverage technology to empower the St. organization catering to young boys’ needs.

Before I came across NPower, I was stuck in a have always been fascinated by technology, andced a wide range of emotions. Thanks to NPower, time at NPower has been invaluable, allowing me to achieve my academic and professional goals. I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow alongside like-minded individuals who share my passion for technology.

Rodney Hamilton Age, 27

Melyssa Washington Age, 24

Upon completing my academic studies, I faced the daunting challenge of navigating the rigo-VID-19 pandemic. Despite my persistent efforts, to be an arduous task. However, a glimmer of hope shone through when a close friend, who had recently completed NPower’s program, recommended it to me. I was motivated to pursue a new career path and enrolled in the program. Thanks to NPower, I obtained both the Google ever-evolving realm of cloud technology by acand lasting career.

king part-time at a local restaurant I was introduced to NPower through a family member and through extensive research online. My time at NPower gave me a sense of purpose and direction for my career alongside relationships with those around me. With my new skills, I plan totion and obtain work experience through interns-

Jeremy Barnes Age, 23

Arrianna Braun Age, 18 -

Larry Harris Age, 23

My older brother introduced me to NPower andgram has taught me a wide range of skills, from hardware to programming. What I love most about NPower is the opportunity for hands-on -

ced some challenges staying motivated with homework, I remained focused and completed my tasks. I always remind myself that this program is an investment in my future, and I am determined to achieve the best for myself.

Claxton Age, 23

I am a single mother of a four-year-old daughter and currently employed at Wells Fargo Advisor as a Securities Operations Representative. I realized that I wanted to solidify my educational

for generations to come. A friend of mine, Devine Wells, referred me to NPower. My experience at NPower was life-changing, and it gave me a sense of reassurance that anything is possible, regardless of your circumstances. During my training at NPower, I developed my Information Technology skills while renewing my professional

Days and PD Days with Coach Rob. Although I faced challenges with balancing my personal and school life, I persisted by reminding myself of my why statement and giving my all on tough days. My goal after NPower is to establish myself in a

for at least a year. Ultimately, I hope to invest and secure funding for my business start-up costs for A’Haven Space L.L.C.

Ah’Monie

Erykah Evans

Age, 26

change fast. This program has not only empowered me to attain better employment and opportunities in the workforce but presented me with -

ter future with NPower; the name says it all! At this point in my life, I cannot help but say I am blessed for being presented with this incredible opportunity. No more worrying about where I am going in life. I am already there. My mom always told me to be successful, I had to take advantage of the building blocks that will lead to the future I desire. I am so proud and grateful to announce that I have put myself in a position to thrive with

to thank everyone who assisted me in this endeavor.

Congratulations

Spring 2023 Tech Fundamentals

Jeremy Barnes

Millane Bell-Fox

Arrianna Braun

Christopher Brown

Byron Brownlee

Ahmonie Claxton

Tabias Edwards

Erykah Evans

Willard (Tre) Finerson

Christopher Foxworth

Rodney (Rashad) Hamilton

John (Jack) Harrington

DeVaughn Harris

Larry Harris

TY Ivory

Curwin (CJ) Jimmerson

Trinaty Johnson

Denitra Like

Mya Like

Rachelle Madison

Jasmine Marie Martin

David McKay

Joshua Reddick

Jaelyn Shaw

Takyra Shields

Ashley Smith

Danielle Tucker

Melyssa Washington

Sidney Washington

View Highlights:

npower.org/graduation/spring-2023/missouri/

LAUNCHING TECH CAREERS TRANSFORMING LIVES

NPower’s model is a solution to building a diverse tech pipeline. Our graduates launch tech $41,000–$60,000 and are positioned to advance

earning potential is the key to breaking generational cycles of poverty, positioning our students and their families to achieve long-term economic success.

80% Of students who enroll graduate

(Based on NPower’s national data)

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%

13 million by 2025, according to

Our graduates of over 6,000 veterans and young adults are hired at over 3,000 compapathways 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.

TO OUR EMPLOYMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SPONSORS, FUNDERS, VOLUNTEERS

Employer Partners

World Wide Technology

St. Louis Zoo

Keeley Companies

McCarthy Holdings, Inc.

Accenture

Accenture Federal Services

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

United Way of Greater St. Louis

Mastercard

Mercy

KPMG

Bayer

UKG

Volunteers

CPAs

David Hartley Anders

Bank of America

Amber Tompkins

Boeing

Tawanda Schultz

Centene

Rosemary Ganey

Anne May

Enterprise Holdings

Maureen Blazevic

Summer Patel

Kemper Life

Michelle Camden

Nestle

Julie Cruz

Operation Hope

Ryan Moore

Melissa Carron

Oregon State Treasury

Jerry Walker

Slalom

Monica Millen

TCS

Pradipta Sinha

United Way

Katelind Hosie

Verizon

Chris Harrell

Aaron Brown

Alfredo Diaz

Christopher Abrams

James Reynolds

Jean David Mesidor

Parissa Pandkhou

Sharon Gordon

Syed Hassan Uzzaman

Windel Taylor

Ashley Augustine-Johnson

Damita Jacobs

Denise Marcelt

Irina Goldovskaya

John Moretti

Noris Espinal

Christopher Abrams

Krista Bistline

Patricia Colef

Robert Vezina

Shalini Nagpal

Vidhya Seran

Tra Matthewson

Keerti Purohitit

Sharon Gordon

Syed Hassas

Zendra Ulmer

WWT

Simon Bernie

Jana Groner Skopec

Funders

Bank of America

BMO Financial Group

Citigroup Technology Inc.

Dropbox Inc.

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Lena Kaufman

Mike Elmore

National Basketball Association

Nutanix Inc.

Splunk Inc.

The Dauber Foundation

The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.

Veterans Educational Assistance Program

Workday Foundation

National Pathway Builders

Pathway Builders are individual donors invested in the future of our country and changing lives for military vegroup of changemakers, please visit npower.org/support or email hello@npower.org.

AMBASSADOR

Ronald Gula

Thomas Kurian

CHAMPION

Christiane Costello

Paul Daugherty

Dean Del Vecchio

Matt Horner

Jennifer Kleinert

Brian McCarthy

Mark Patterson

David Reilly

Ron Robbins

PARTNER

Gail Fierstein

Shane Fitzsimons

Tony Kerrison

Debra King

Josh Sutton

Cliff Thomas

Sangy Vatsa

Perry Wright

Lori Zugelder

SUPPORTER

Katherine Avery

Nic & Sasha Barnes

Robert Benoit

Jessica Berry

Stefanie Boles

Marletta Boyd II

Marletta Boyd Senior

David Boyle

Michael Bridges

Dale Brooks

Stephanie Byrd

Kristie Carney

Lisa Cawley

Gerald Charles, Jr.

Hannah Craven

Quincy Davis

Carl De Groote

Richard DePalma

Damon Downing

Mike Elmore

Brett Fleischman

Sally Frank

Michael Fugett

Rami Gabriel

Kimika Garrett

Daniel Garrison

Amy Gnagy

Demetrius Goodwin

Michael Gregoire

Mark Heil

Rhonda Henley

Matt Holton

Cindy Hoots

The Hoyle Family

Jason Huebner

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 Schwarz

Gaurav Shah

William Shea

Dwight Shepherd

Randy Siedl

James Smith

David Sullivan

Nicole Tate

Coriel Taylor

Horace Tiggs IV

Zachary Vendeiro

Harish Venkitaramanan

Scott Wilton

Judy Winter-Giella

FRIEND

Einat Burshtine

Alexandra Gerdner

Ann Marr

Susanne Tedrick

Jose Vilar

Stefen Welch

Bruce Williams

Sponsors

Underwriters $750K

Sponsors $250-$749K

Partners $100-$249K

AHEAD

Akamai Technologies

Andreessen Horowitz Cultural Leadership Fund

Ascension Health

Atlas Data Systems

BAE Systems

Beth & Ravenel Curry Foundation

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Centene Charitable Foundation

Corteva Agriscience

Check Point Software Technologies, LTD

Craig Newmark Fund

Dennis M Jones Family Foundation

Ernst & Young

Fiserv Inc.

General Motors

Globant

Hearst Foundation

Hewlett Packard Company

Ira W. De Camp Foundation

John & Marcia Goldman Foundation

Kaiser Permanente

KPMG

Light a Single Candle Foundation, NFP

LinkedIn Corporation

Maryland - AIF

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

Mass Mutual Life Insurance Company

MTX Group Inc

NetApp

New Jersey Department of Labor

New York City

The New York Community Trust

New York State

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Norton LifeLock

Palo Alto Networks

Patrick J McGovern Foundation

Regional Business Council

State of Maryland

Tata Consultancy Services

The St. Louis Community Foundation

Twilio Inc.

United Way of Greater St. Louis

United Way of St. Louis

Workday Foundation

Supporters $50-$99K

The Achelis & Bodman Foundation

Arista Networks, Inc.

Armis Inc.

Ascension Information Services

Auth0 Inc.

Bader Family Foundation

Benevity Fund

Broadcom Inc

Capital One Financial Corp.

Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation

Cohesity

Communities Foundation of Texas

Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan

Consumers Energy

Data Dynamics, Inc

David Reilly

Emerson

Flextronics International USA, Inc.

Fortinet, Inc.

Henry & Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Foundation

Hitachi

IBM

ING Financial Markets LLC

Intel Corporation

Kirkland & Ellis

Koret Foundation

L'Oreal Groupe

Medidata Solutions Inc

Merck & Co., Inc

Morgan Stanley

MUFG Union Bank

NetApp Inc.

New York City Council

OneTen

Oracle

Peter Trizzino

Rainwater Charitable Foundation

Royal Bank of Canada

Rubrik

S&P Global Inc.

Shippy Foundation

Society for information Management

SS&C Technologies, Inc.

Tanium Inc.

Texas Mutual Insurance Company

The Rockefeller Foundation

The Saigh Foundation

The William R. Orthwein, Jr. Foundation, Inc.

Thomas Kurian

United States Department of Homeland Security

United Way of Tarrant County

VMware Inc.

Vodaphone

Wells Fargo Bank

Wilson Sheehan Foundation

Wipro Technologies

Zendesk

Zoom