NPower Fall 2024 Maryland Graduation Booklet

ABOUT US

OUR STORY NPower is a national nonprofit that leverages an evidence-based model to foster economic empowerment through digital skill enhancement and industry-recognized credentials for military-connected individuals, young adults, and women from under-resourced communities. Our strength is seeing students of nontraditional backgrounds through pivotal life transitions. Our unique approach combines rigorous, free training and trauma-informed support services, career readiness skills, and job placement assistance.

We have offered foundational and advanced career training opportunities to over 10,000 graduates, with the goal of scaling to serve 15,000 annually by 2030—all while maintaining strong placement outcomes.

Led by a committed team, we seek to create a tech workforce that mirrors the world around us and empowers students to drive change in their own lives and communities.

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. NPower is a vital solution towards bridging the national talent gap that exists in the high-growth technology industry.

To learn more about NPower, visit npower.org.

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ORDER OF CEREMONY MARYLAND

WELCOME REMARKS Demetrius Goodwin Executive Director, NPower Maryland ALUMNI SPEAKER Sean Neal NPower Maryland Spring 2023 Graduate CLASS SPEAKER Malasia Kennedy Kimberly Sampson-Watts PRESENTATION OF CLASS HONORS Tiombe Graham Recruitment and Admissions Manager, NPower Maryland Christian Reeves Recruitment and Admissions Manager, NPower Maryland KEYNOTE SPEAKER Roberto (Rob) Suárez VP and Chief Information Security Officer, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield PRESENTATION OF GRADUATION CERTIFICATES Kyle Wise Program Director, NPower Maryland CLOSING REMARKS Anthony Butler Placement Director, NPower Maryland RECEPTION

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SPEAKERS

COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Roberto (Rob) Suárez VP and Chief Information Security Officer, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Roberto (Rob) Suárez is a cybersecurity and privacy expert in the medical device and healthcare IT industry. He is currently the VP and Chief Information Security Officer at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, where he leads cybersecurity initiatives to align with company goals and ensure the security of information and technologies.

Previously, Mr. Suárez was the VP and CISO at BD, overseeing IT, manufacturing, and product security and fostering cybersecurity training and community engagement. He also worked at Siemens, initially in software engineering and later on remote service platforms for medical devices.

Mr. Suárez was part of the HHS Healthcare Industry Cybersecurity Task Force and chaired several cybersecurity working groups focused on medical technology. He has collaborated with the FDA and DHS to improve cybersecurity practices. He holds a degree in Computer Science from Montclair State University and is a Certified Healthcare Information Security and Privacy Professional (HCISPP).

ALUMNI SPEAKER Sean Neal NPower Maryland Spring 2023 Graduate PC Technician, Archangel Technology + Education

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CLASS SPEAKER Malasia Kennedy

CLASS SPEAKER Kimberly Sampson-Watts

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GRADUATES

CONGRATULATIONS! Maryland Tech Fundamentals Fall 2024 Paulos Akalu Ayomide Akintemi Luz Alfaro Alvarado Brenda Alvarenga Kaj Baker Bianca Binney Elijah Blake Asia Brown Tyler Brown Cameryn Butler Kelly Campos Denise Chen Chaiann Cobb Ari Cockrell Horacio Contreras Michael Dennis Kathryn Dickerson Elhadji Diallo Prince Egbunine Bram Elswick Emmanuel Fondong Destinee Foy Joshua Fuqua-DaCosta Ahmad Fuller Terrence Gaskins

Ghoutum Emmanuel Ghondo Miguel Giron Anthony Gontorwon Kaylen Gough Tamia Greene Shanel Hamilton Amiyah Hill Jordan Hollingsworth Octavius Hood Shawn Huff Nabeel Ibrahim-Futa Uriah Jackson Dashawn Johnson Jaedon Johnson Lamontra Johnson Kyree Jones Mya Jones Sonia Jouonang Kalu Kalu Heyaw Kassa Fikir Kebede Malasia Kennedy Kim Mensah Devin Miller Malik Miller

Kishayla Monk Gloria Mugure Stephen Myers Kaja Nall Kalonji Parker Kelly Quintana Zeinab Ramezan Ali Antoine Reed Jalen Roberts Justin Roberts Kimberly Sampson-Watts Jamilah Scott Valentin Sebastian-Dominguez Warren Shakes Khalid Shodeinde Tatiana Singhe Amarien Spriggs Leila Tambwe Tarsha Tisdale Farrell Jayda Tucker Jonavan Tucker Daniel Walker Terra Washington Jonathan Weeks Donavan Weston

Isaiah Wilkie Anthony Wilkins Kaliyah Wilkins Akie Williams Jerrod Williams Thomas Williams Jr. Lorenz Wilson Olamide Yusuf Arian Ziglar

KEY CLASS STATISTICS

85%

Graduation Rate

6

38% Women

87%

Black/Hispanic/Asian

THANK YOU to our Employment and Community Partners, Sponsors, and Funders The Abell Foundation Amazon Web Services (AWS) Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development - TrainUp Program Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development - WIOA Youth Training Program Baltimore Civic Fund - Digital Equity Fund Baltimore County Office of Economic and Workforce Development Baltimore Renaissance Foundation Allegis Global Solutions Bank of America Bloomberg L.P. CareFirst Blue Cross BlueShield The Annie E. Casey Foundation Comcast NBCUniversal

Coppin State University - NTIA Program Demetrius Goodwin Michael DiBlasio Exelon Corporation - BGE Ron and Cyndi Gula Henry and Marion Knott Family Foundation Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Maryland Department of Labor EARN Maryland Program MetLife Foundation Northrop Grumman Corporation PNC Foundation SNAP Education and Training Program Louis B. Thalheimer and Juliet A. Eurich Foundation Venable Foundation The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation

MARYLAND REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Frank Baitman Chair Senior Advisor MDC Studio Sandra A. Bempong Grants Officer Community Health & Social Impact CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Michael R. DiBlasio Sr. Technical Program Manager Amazon Web Services Eboni Fotang Director, Quality and Mission Excellence Northrop Grumman Gayle Guilford (Retired) Chief Information Security Officer Baltimore City Governmen

Scott Harris President VIACode Blair Johnson Consultant Ed Mullin Business Development Manager DP Solutions Andrew Parlock Director, New Business, Defense ICEYE Bruce Williams Retired IBM Thank you to CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Allegis Global Solutions, and PNC Bank for your sponsorship.

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Care for wherever you find yourself.

Everyone’s needs are different. That’s why we bring you a full range of care options that work with your life—from anytime, anywhere.

Learn more at carefirst.com/ourpromise.

CHANGING THE FUTURE OF TECH TOGETHER

New York | New Jersey | Texas | California | Maryland | Missouri | Michigan | North Carolina | Ohio

npower.org/Maryland