The national tech training nonprofit, NPower, has announced four new members are joining their national board of directors, bringing diverse technology experience from Bank of America, Cisco, Vista Equity Partners, and Deloitte Technology.
The new board members include: Tony Kerrison, Chief Technology Officer for Bank of America; Mark Patterson, SVP and Chief of Staff to the Chair and CEO at Cisco; Kateau James, Global Chief Operating Officer for Deloitte Technology; and Ami Desai, Chief of Staff to Robert Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners.
Bertina Ceccarelli, CEO of NPower, says this new board leadership brings a depth of experience from the technology industry that will help them develop more diverse talent equipped with the most up-to-date tech skills.
“These four new directors will bring invaluable insight and innovation to our curriculum, while also opening doors to employment opportunities for our graduates and new partnerships for our program,” said Ceccarelli. “We are excited to welcome Tony, Mark, Kateau, and Ami to our national board. They’re all distinguished leaders who will elevate NPower in 2022 and beyond.”
Gail Fierstein, Global Head of People at CaaStle and Chair of the NPower Board Nominating Committee, says the board has been focused on continually building a diverse and engaged governing body to help steward NPower to the next level. “These diverse and accomplished new leaders join us at a critical time in NPower’s growth and sustainability.”
About Tony Kerrison
Tony Kerrison is Chief Technology Officer for Bank of America and leads the Core Technology Infrastructure (CTI) organization, which established and developed the company’s Never Down effort that focuses on proactive identification and prevention of technology-driven events.
His team is responsible for designing, building and operating end-to-end technology infrastructure solutions, managing critical systems and platforms across the enterprise and determining how the bank's technology is architected across the firm. CTI also is accountable for technology strategy, architecture, operations, engagement delivery and application production support.
Kerrison joined Bank of America from Barclays Bank, where he was the head of Global Technology Infrastructure Services. With a team of over 4,000, he was responsible for technology infrastructure across Barclays, global businesses, including retail banking, investment banking, Barclaycard and the bank’s offshore center in Lithuania.
About Mark Patterson
As a member of the Executive Leadership Team at Cisco, Mark Patterson leads business planning and operations across the company, in support of Cisco’s own digital transformation and that of their customers and partners.
On behalf of the CEO, Patterson drives alignment across Cisco executives and their functions through forums focused on strategy, innovation, and leadership. He leads the incubation and execution of critical company sponsored cross-functional initiatives, as well as strategic partnership and advisory guidance to the CEO.
Patterson is also a member of the board for the 49ers Foundation, whose goal is to harness football to educate youth in the San Francisco Bay Area. Patterson holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in accounting from Baylor University in Texas.
About Kateau James
Kateau James is the Global Chief Operating Officer for Deloitte Technology providing counsel on global technology strategy and key initiatives, as well as planning and directing all strategic operational, administrative, and financial activities.
She leads global technology strategy, strategic initiatives, enterprise architecture, innovation, data mastery and analytics, governance, global vendor management and all areas of IT business management including: business operations, executive reporting and the enterprise PMO.
Kateau has more than 20 years of experience with strategic technology planning, global organizational management, and full life-cycle software development. She holds her MBA in Finance from Auburn University, BS in Business Information Systems from Albany State University, a Master’s Certification in IT Project Management from George Washington University and a CIO certification from the Technology Association of Georgia.
About Ami Desai
Ami Desai joined Vista Equity Partners in 2020. He supports the firm’s founder, chairman and CEO, Robert Smith, assists portfolio companies and limited partners, and develops strategic initiatives.
Prior to joining Vista Equity Partners, Desai served as President Clinton’s Foreign Policy Adviser for 13 years, where he oversaw international strategy, led new partnerships, and managed relationships with Heads of State, business leaders, philanthropists and NGOs around the globe.
Desai holds a B.A. in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University and an M.A. in Foreign Policy from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs.
About NPower
NPower is a national nonprofit that is 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 the free, six-month training program, 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 with corporate and nonprofit organizations. Eighty percent of NPower graduates get a full-time job or continue their education. Not only is NPower changing life trajectories for individuals from vulnerable communities, but they are also strengthening the overall competitiveness of U.S. businesses hamstrung by today’s limited pool of IT talent. To learn more about NPower.