Founder & CEO

Meet Mike Roberts, our career creator. His commitment to helping underrepresented individuals break into tech and his success in launching over 100 student careers at tech giants like Walmart Labs, Sony, AWS, and more, embody our mission. 
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Partnership Manager

Introducing Yahshemi Walters, the orchestrator of our daily operations. As an Instructor and Technical Author, his leadership in programs like Level Up with the United Way and Test Automation with NFAR has been instrumental in our success.

Instructor Manager

Get to know Alex Martinez, our coding conductor. He seamlessly blends his roles as Operations Manager and web development instructor, and his leadership in our Mentorship Program and podcast sessions contribute significantly to our mission.

Major Gifts Officer

Gabby Nguyen has over nine years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and event management, having led high-impact campaigns and secured major gifts across multiple sectors. Currently, Major Gifts Officer at Creating Coding Careers, she focuses on institutional giving, corporate social responsibility, and stakeholder engagement to advance equity in tech and workforce development. Her approach is grounded in strategic relationship-building, compelling storytelling, and a deep belief in equity and access. 

Content and Media Manager

Hannah Healy brings over a decade of content marketing and SEO experience, having grown her own digital brand from the ground up. As Content and Media Manager at Creating Coding Careers, she leads web optimization, analytics-driven content strategy, and multimedia storytelling across platforms to amplify CCC’s impact. Her work is rooted in data-informed creativity, strategic consistency, and a belief that accessible, compelling stories can open doors and affect positive change.

Instructor

Say hello to Memo Monge, our digital craftsman. His passion for building digital tools, forged through his journey of becoming a self-taught software engineer, is contagious, inspiring our learners to see coding not merely as a skill, but as a creative avenue for problem-solving and innovation.

Instructor and Technical Author

Kevin Horning is a proven engineering mentor, coach, and leader with over 20 years of software engineering expertise and more than a decade of experience guiding teams to deliver high-impact results. He is passionate about building exceptional software solutions and empowering engineers to reach their full potential. As an Instructor and Technical Author, Kevin excels in developing, delivering, and evaluating technical training curricula. His expertise spans instructional design and training delivery, virtual learning platforms, and career path development.

Board Member

Marissa Roberts is an indispensable pillar of support for our organization, contributing significantly to our mission. 

With an unwavering commitment to our cause, Marissa has played a pivotal role in propelling our organization forward. Marissa Roberts is a champion of our organization's core values. She wholeheartedly believes in the transformative power of our mission and tirelessly advocates for its advancement. Her unwavering belief in our work serves as a beacon of inspiration for our entire team.

We are immensely grateful for Marissa's unwavering support and dedication. 

Board Member

This is not just a job for me, I love finding candidates their next Great Career opportunity. I make sure the position is right fit for the candidate and a cultural ADD for the company. I'm an Advocate for EQUITY, JUSTICE and EQUALITY and CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE. I'm an expert at Diversity recruiting/sourcing, talent acquisition, human resources, resource management, vendor management, salary negotiation, interviewing, consulting services, recruiting strategy, facilitation and project management and building business relationships built on excellence.

Board Member

April Laster, Founder and CEO of Open Heart Leaders, is a pioneering figure in mental health and education. As the only African American woman leading this organization, she offers comprehensive services to marginalized communities. Now also the Executive Director of Heart Leaders Academy, a Charter High School, April focuses on culturally responsive mental health and education. An accomplished life coach and speaker, she addresses disparities in trauma-informed treatment and advocates for dismantling systemic racism in funding. April is committed to changing the world one open heart at a time.

Board Member

Professor Lee has completed her first novel, "As Time Flies," after 30+ years of teaching on the undergraduate level at various California community colleges and several ABA-accredited law schools around the country; practicing law, authoring private placement memorandums, and participating in several corporate finance debt offerings and mergers/acquisitions in a banking environment. She authored several law review articles published in the California Western Law Review (and cited by the Harvard Journal on Legislation), the University of Michigan Journal of Race & Law, and the Rutgers Computer and Law Technology Journal. She served on the Michigan Task Force on Race & Gender, is a past President of The San Diego Urban Bankers, was honored as Professor of the Year in 2006, has been active in the National Association of Urban Bankers, the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association, the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Assoc, Jack & Jill of America, Lawyers Club of San Diego, the National Bar Assoc, San Diego County Bar Assoc, Homer S. Brown Bar Assoc, Ingham County Bar Assoc, various Committees of the State Bars of both Michigan & California and the American Bar Association, as well as numerous Law School Faculty Committees.

Board Member

Accomplished & dynamic professional with military experience and a record of servant leadership: Respected for helping organizations innovate, thrive, and sustain. Capable of optimizing resources to achieve core mission by earning the confidence of key stakeholders and establishing a positive and powerful diverse network. Verifiable success in creating and implementing complex initiatives, creating value-added programs, driving successful risk management initiatives, improving health and stability of operations, increasing organizational visibility, and exceeding financial goals.

Lead successful team initiatives with cross functional teams: Dedicated to enhancing performance by analyzing existing processes and implementing effective systems, strategies, and policies. Persuasive communicator who engenders trust while steering teams with 10-years’ experience managing diverse groups and best utilization of resources.

Board Member

Board Member

Bernadette Bolaños (any pronouns) is a Queer, non-binary, software engineer, artist and community builder with roots in Southern California (Tongva land), Guatemala and Nicaragua. They are a first-generation college graduate from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona with a B.A. in Gender, Ethnic and Multicultural Studies. Some of their proudest accomplishments include having served as a counselor-advocate on the sexual and domestic violence crisis hotlines for Project SISTER Family Services and the East LA Women’s Center.

In 2021, they dove in headfirst at Creating Coding Careers as part of the first cohort of the pre-apprenticeship program. This life-changing decision kickstarted their career as a software apprentice at ServiceNow where they have continued to grow their career over the last three years. As a software engineer and CCC alumni, Bernadette is dedicated to creating accessible technology spaces rooted in community support and sustainability.

On weekends you can catch them watching live theater, hosting a full moon cypher or writing their next play.

Board Member

Mr. Griffith has made significant contributions to the digital marketplace and continues to stay above the curve as an innovative technologist, redefining platforms in the mobile digital eco-system. With over 15 years in digital marketing, he founded four ground breaking companies as three were positioned for acquisition and has led initiatives for brands such as Proctor & Gamble, Hasbro, Lipton, Dove, Ben & Jerry’s, PepsiCo, Nokia, Leo Burnett, Arc Worldwide, Steve Harvey and Ford. In technology Mr. Griffith developed the country’s first mobile scannable coupon for grocery markets and convenient stores; thus his work was recognized as the “Holy Grail” of mobile marketing by Unilever, the third largest consumer goods company in the world. In addition, he was the first in the United States to pioneer the development of software called Near Field Communications, (NFC) in partnership with Nokia now known as Android-Pay and Apple-Pay.

In addition to being recognized by Chain Store Age as one of the top five new tech companies to watch in 2016 and being named a tech pioneer by Black Enterprise, Griffith has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Bloomberg Business Week, NPR, Who’s Who, Chain Store Age and has served as a speaker for numerous national and international technology and marketing conferences. As a leader in integrated marketing and mobile applications, Griffith’s mantra for success is as follows: plan, execute and grow. Griffith received his Bachelor of Arts from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio and a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago.

Board Member

Lexius Waltar is committed to creating community and connection in the tech space. As a Quality Assurance Engineer at AppFolio, Lexius works on testing, release planning, and ensuring product quality within agile development teams. Previously, they were a front-end developer at Trust & Will, where they focused on building accessible tools that support families through estate planning.

Outside of work, Lexius is actively involved in supporting others in tech. They’ve mentored early-career developers, led workshops on JavaScript and React, and participated in hackathons centered on social impact. As a Climatebase Fellow, they explored how technology can support climate solutions. Lexius also serves as Vice Chair of 614 ACM-W, the Columbus, Ohio chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery’s Council on Women in Computing, where they help foster inclusive spaces for women and nonbinary people in tech.

Lexius brings a thoughtful and collaborative approach to both technical work and community engagement, with a focus on making tech more inclusive and accessible.

Board Member

Jarrett Albritton is the Founder and Host of Big Tech Energy Podcast and the VP of Strategy at WriteSea, an AI-powered career mobility suite that equips students and job seekers with the tools they need to secure job offers. He has previously worked as a Senior Enterprise Account Executive at IBM, ClearSlide, and WalkMe, where he’s closed over $40 Million is software deals.

In 2021, he founded DEI Staffing, a boutique advisory firm that provides organizations with the necessary resources to build diverse and inclusive teams. He is also the founder and host of Big Tech Energy, a podcast that highlights the excellence of Black tech leaders.

In short, Jarrett is a seasoned sales professional who is passionate about DEI in the workplace. His LinkedIn and IG (@doctaj) posts cover topics such as job search tips, tech careers, professional branding and networking, AI, and the mindset it takes to have a long successful career in Tech. He also shares industry trends and news that are helpful for B2B sales professionals.

The work that he’s done in the Diversity in Tech space has led to him being featured on NASDAQ, AfroTech, The Los Angeles Tribune, as well as being named Black in HR’s Tech Recruiting Influencer of the Year in 2021, and included in Clutch's Top 15 Black B2B Sales Influencers of 2025.

Advisory Board Member

John’s work across some of the world’s most recognized employer brands has always centered on the humanity and dignity of professionals, helping them find not just jobs, but meaningful work that respects who they are. But it was his acclaimed book, Plantation Theory: The Black Professional’s Struggle Between Freedom & Security, and the conversations that followed, that revealed a deeper missing link for the restoration of the Black community: love.

As the Founder and CEO of Upfront Marital Technologies Inc., John is closing that gap. Upfront isn’t just another dating app—it’s a space for single Black professionals to heal, grow, and build the strong relationships that restore the strength of our communities. His powerful oratory and insights have made him a sought-after speaker at Google, LinkedIn, Prudential, and more, connecting the dots between work, love, and the resilience of the Black spirit.

John’s story—and his work—remind us that healing and love are not just personal pursuits; they’re community work. And for him, that mission is as urgent as it is lifelong.

Board Member

Julian Gonzalez is a ServiceNow developer and passionate web developer who turned a hobby into a fulfilling career. After getting a life-changing opportunity through Creating Coding Careers, he was able to pursue a dream job in tech—an experience that now fuels a deep motivation to help others do the same.

Julian believes that everyone deserves the chance to succeed and is committed to creating pathways for aspiring developers to grow, thrive, and move up in the world.