TechBridge Talks

Yolanda Luna-Mroz is the Chief Programs Officer of High Jump, a nonprofit based in Chicago. High Jump’s mission is to equalize access to education for Chicago middle school students who have exhibited academic ambition and potential and are of limited economic means. High Jump worked with TechBridge to create a technology assessment roadmap for the future. The nonprofit went from “swimming in spreadsheets” to integrated and accurate data systems.

Today on the show, Adam talks with TCP graduate Margaret Farmer. Margaret studied web development as a student in the Winter 2022 Ernst & Young Technology Career Program Cohort. Margaret’s instructors were impressed by her personality, hard work, and persistence. Since graduating, Margaret has prioritized independent studying and gained additional certifications in Microsoft Azure. Here today to share her TCP story is Margaret Farmer.

Adrian Sims is a Software Engineer Analyst at Accenture and Technology Career Program graduate. As a member of TechBridge’s TCP Fall 2021 Cobb5 Azure Cohort, he earned a certification in Azure AZ-900 Fundamentals. On today’s show, host Adam talks to Adrian about his TCP journey and how his life has evolved because of the program. 

Legal Aid at Work is a nonprofit based in San Francisco that offers free services help low-income people exercise and advance their workplace rights. Legal Aid at Work was awarded TechBridge’s 2022 Dream Big for Social Justice Grant. The organization’s Vice President of Strategy, Kevin Clune, joins Karen Cramer, Chief Community Impact Officer at TechBridge, and host Adam Walker on this episode of TechBridge Talks to discuss the impact the Grant has had on Legal Aid at Work’s daily processes. Karen Cramer shares the details of the upcoming Dream Big for Hunger Relief Grant. Update: Since the airing of this episode, our internal teams have decided to cancel The National Hunger Relief Summit. The 2023 Dream Big for Hunger Relief grant will still be awarded. Interested applicants may find more details on our website.

On today’s episode of TechBridge talks, host Adam Walker talks to Julie Neuner, the Chief Program Officer at TechBridge, about her background as an educational technology consultant, how she got to TechBridge, and a newly released white paper from TechBridge — Empowering Opportunity Youth through Technology Training.Julie Neuner wears many hats at TechBridge, but some of her main responsibilities include overseeing the coordination, integration, and delivery of all programs, contracts, and related services. Julie also leads the grants team by soliciting and supporting proposal writing for private philanthropic funding, and federal and state grants.Listen in to this episode for more about Julie’s work and what TechBridge is doing in the youth technology space.

James Barrell, Chief Information Officer, has been with Atlanta Mission since 2017. As technology is increasingly leveraged in the work we do, James strives to ensure that technology systems enhance collaboration and efficiency. He has a passion for serving and encouraging growth in those around him. On today’s show, host Adam Walker talks to James about his work at Atlanta Mission, how TechBridge and Atlanta Mission work together to innovate, and how technology can help improve individual care.

Jacari Harris, a native of Tallahassee, Florida, is an author, life coach, social justice activist, and inspirational speaker. He serves as the Executive Director at George Floyd Memorial Foundation. The George Floyd Memorial Foundation works to unite voices for change, challenge the systemic obstacles facing our community, and eliminate the violence against and murder of unarmed, non-violent, and non-resisting Black individuals. Their programs mobilize communities, address the root causes of inequality such as economic opportunity, and combat the systemic violence affecting Black Americans by working to build a fair legal system.

Welcome back to TechBridge Talks! Today I’m sitting down with the two (2) bitsIO co-founders and TechBridge supporters: Kalpana Krishnamurthi and Suman Gajavelly. Kalpana Krishnamurthi serves as bitsIO CEO, while Suman Gajavelly serves as the company’s CTO. 

Welcome back to TechBridge Talks! Today I’m joined by Manish Misri, the Chief Technology Officer at TechBridge. Manish has been a part of TechBridge for seven years and oversees TechBridge’s product delivery. Didn’t know that TechBridge provided products? They do! All of TechBridge’s products exist to further their mission: eliminating generational poverty through their four pillars: hunger relief, homeless support, social justice, and workforce development. Here today to share more about his work, TechBridge’s products and the importance of technology in nonprofit growth is Manish Misri. Manish, welcome to the show! 

Welcome to TechBridge Talks. On this week’s episode, Adam talks with Keith Parker the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Goodwill of North Georgia. As one of the largest retail and nonprofit organizations in the southeast, Goodwill of North Georgia spans a 45-county territory, operating 67 stores, 52 attended donation centers and 13 career centers. Today on the show, we talk about career training, upward mobility, and how Goodwill helps people find and keep jobs. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode! Thanks for being with us today, let’s get into it!

Happy New Year, listeners! We’re starting the new year off strong with Episode 16 of TechBridge Talks. On today’s episode , Adam sits down with Familes First CEO DePriest Waddy. Families First is a nonprofit based in Atlanta, Georgia that provides empowering solutions for Atlanta’s most vulnerable populations. They’ve been in operation for nearly 130 years, providing a variety of services to those in need. DePriest and Adam talk about adoption, building resilience within families, and how technology is crucial in understanding the stories of each person they help. Enjoy today’s show!

On this week's episode of TechBridge Talks, we talk with Tray Leslie, long-time TechBridge supporter, and board member. On the show, we talk about how important it is to be involved in the local community and how technology needs to grow and improve to serve those communities.

Raphael Holloway is the Chief Executive Officer of the Gateway Center, an organization that connects people experiencing homelessness with the support necessary to become self-sufficient and find a permanent home. In today’s episode, Raphael and Adam discuss the hidden truths and common misconceptions we need to know about homelessness.

Scott Mcglaun has led BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) as their CIO for years, and he continues to utilize his expertise, wisdom, and skill to better TechBridge as an integral part of our board. This week, we'll discuss advocacy and impact with this longtime supporter of our mission!

Vish Narendra, CIO of Graphic Packaging International, is no stranger to technology or its capabilities. Today, we will be discussing where he sees technology as the key to the future of doing good, what he enjoys most about being involved with TechBridge, and where he hopes to see TechBridge go.  ---Vish attended Anna University, where he graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering, and the Illinois Institute of Technology, where achieved his MBA in Information Management. This degree and experience launched him into a career in IT and software roles at companies like GE and, now, Graphic Packaging International. Vish Narendra is an experienced technology and business executive with global experience in IT, business strategy, acquisition integration and digital business transformation with domain experience in consulting, software development, manufacturing and supply chain. In addition to his involvement with TechBridge as a board member and the sitting Board Chair, he also serves on the advisory boards for Georgia CIO and Greylock Partners. Vish has been involved with TechBridge since 2014, and he has been an integral part of the TechBridge community from the start. Vish has won many awards and earned many honors, one of which being the 2017 Georgia CIO of the Year ORBIE Award Winner | Global Category. We are honored to have him on our board and as a friend of TechBridge! 

On today's episode of TechBridge Talks, we will interview two co-founders of TechBridge - Scott Geller and Steve Linowes. We'll hear about where the organization started, why it was created, and where we're headed in the future. It's a great episode filled with great memories and an amazing vision.

Workforce development is one of TechBridge's four pillars, and one of the main ways we work in this area is through our Technology Career Program (TCP). On today's episode, we get to talk with Joseph Perry, who was a part of the first class of TCP and now works at TechBridge, mentoring students.Stay tuned for an inspiring conversation that walks through what TCP is all about and the impact that Joseph is making daily on the younger generation.

“Technology is at the epicenter of how communities look at possibilities… Under-served communities can look at technology as their means of escaping income inequality and stagnation.”This episode outlines what it looks like for Randstad, TechBridge, and corporations on the whole to be corporately responsible and to work with every person in the community in mind, as well as technology’s role within that space.

Social justice is a topic on all of our minds. Whether we are thinking about issues close to home or in other parts of the country, we can all agree there is work to be done here. TechBridge works in Social Justice through our products like JusticeServer and by providing technology and services to social justice organizations.And, because social justice is one of our 4 core pillars on the path to eliminating generational poverty, we are excited to announce that we are hosting a National Social Justice Summit in 2022! This summit will be emceed by Samantha Sanchez, TechBridge’s Director of Social Justice, and will feature an impressive lineup of speakers and leaders in the social justice space.Today’s show talks about what social justice is, why it’s important, and how TechBridge is approaching this vast issue.

TechBridge has been around for more than 20 years now, and Clint Bailey has been a major part of the decision making and vision casting for TechBridge over the years. He has served on TechBridge’s Advisory Board for years and will now serve on our National Board as co-chair. Clint has had and will continue to have a huge impact on TechBridge, and we want to explore what forms that influence will take, where he hopes to see our organization go, and why he is still so deeply involved after over 15 years.

TechBridge's Technology Career Program (TCP) is one of our most successful and prolific programs. Vicarro Mills is one of our hundreds of graduates who have gotten their technology certifications through this program and have gone on to careers at some of the nation's largest companies. Vicarro was hired on at TechBridge with TCP in November of 2020 as a Training Assistant and is now a Certified Training Specialist. Listen to Episode 6 as Vicarro discusses the value of TCP, his pathway to and through the program, and his favorite aspects of the program.

The issue of homeless may seem simple, but it’s not. And, though the solution to this issue is simple, providing housing, how we get there takes funding, collaboration, planning, and grit. We sit down with Cathryn Marchman, CEO of Partners for HOME, in this episode of TechBridge Talks to discuss homeless relief.

At TechBridge, we believe technology is a game changer. Marva Bailer thinks so too. Today on TechBridge Talks, we speak with Splunk Strategic Advisor and TechBridge Board of Directors member Marva Bailer about TechBridge's service evolution from designing websites for nonprofits to using data to create predictable pathways out of poverty. Marva shares her passion for TechBridge's Workforce Development pillar and what keeps bringing her back to our organization.

TechBridge director of social justice Samantha Sanchez discusses the organizations work in social justice.

Today on TechBridge Talks we talk to Kharee Smith, Certified Trainer and Technology Career Program graduate. Before working at TechBridge, Kharee worked at Starbucks as a barista for four years.Kharee is now certified in teaching Microsoft Azure and will be ServiceNow certified in a few months.We are excited to share this transformation story and proud to have Kharee as a TechBridge team member!

Today on TechBridge talks we are exploring the intersection of technology and community service. For nonprofits to meet the needs of the communities they serve, they have to grow exponentially, gaining efficiency and effectiveness through technology. The right technology allows nonprofits to serve more people, do more good, and make a larger impact on their communities. My guest today is someone that understands technology, community, and most of all impact! Ann Cramer is a pillar in the nonprofit community, an inspiration to many, and an energetic force for good. Ann, welcome to the show!

Every organization wants to level up. TechBridge is doing it by taking our approach to ending generational poverty through the innovative use of technology national! To find out more, listen to this episode.

Podcasts are popular right now. From podcast companies being bought up by larger companies to your favorite cousin talking about their hobby, everyone seems to be talking about podcasting. Why is that? Part of the reason is that nearly one-quarter of Americans listen to podcasts weekly. But it’s more than that too. Podcasts are a unique medium for telling a story, connecting with an audience in a meaningful way, and creating quality, engaging marketing content.That's why TechBridge is starting a podcast. We have a mission to end generational poverty through the innovative use of technology. And we have a story to tell. Our story begins here. Thank you for joining us on the journey!