Where Are They Now: Black IT Professional Magazine

Do any of you remember the Black IT Professional Magazine that we published back in 2004-2005 era? I was very proud to be national president when this glossy-covered magazine was a publication shared with all BDPA members and conference attendees.

There were a number of BDPA members, entrepreneurs and experts in the August 2004 issue of the magazine (see list below). I wonder where they are now?

• Robert Anthony - 'Securing Our Resources at Home and Abroad'
• Mario Armstrong (Mayor's Office of Baltimore) - who's who in IT
• Adrian Backus (Princeton Theological Seminary) - who's who in IT
• Tonee Bell (A Unity System) - 'Making His Mark in Computer Technology'
• Robert Bonow, MD - 'Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle'
• Vercilla Brown (BDPA Exec Director) - 'Membership message'
• Todd Stephen Burroughs - 'Securing America Post 9-11'
• Geary Broadnax (Dovarri) - 'IT Entrepreneurs Creating Our Own'
• Dale Bryant (The Bryant Group) - 'Finding Financial Security'
• Stampp Corbin (RetroBox) - 'IT Entrpreneurs Creating Our Own'
• Richard Campbell (Securiant) - 'Securing Our Future Through Technology'
• Tony Davis (ElliottRoth & Associates) - 'Supercharge Your Career'
• Sharon Dawes - 'Securing America Post 9-11'
• Linda DeLavallade (Hewitt Associates) - 'Supercharge Your Career'
• Lurita Doan (New Technology Management) - 'Securing Our Future Through Technology'
• David Dobrin - 'Securing America Post 9-11'
• Sonya Donaldson - 'Securing Our Future Through Technology'
• Pierre Dunagan (The Dunagan Group) - 'Finding Financial Security'
• William Farrow (Chicago Board of Trade) - 'Supercharge Your Career'
• Marvin Fields - 'Supercharge Your Career'
• Elizabeth Fife, Ph.D. (Center for Telecom Management) - 'Careers in Telecommunications'
• Ansel Floy (Medstar Health VNA) - who's who in IT
• Sharon Gazaway-Bell (Audio X-Press) - 'Team Building: Play Your Way to Profits'
• Chance Glenn, Ph.D. (Syncrodyne) - 'IT Entrepreneurs Creating Our Own'
• Melvin Gravely, Ph.D. (Institute for Entrepreneurial Thinking) - 'IT Entrepreneurs Creating Our Own'
• Charles Hickey (BDPA Los Angeles) - 'BDPA Member Invovled in Community Outreach'
• Wayne Hicks - BDPA president's message
• David Hinson (Wealth Management Network) - 'Finding Financial Security'
• Gerald Hoffman - 'Securing America Post 9-11'
• Pamela Horne (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts) - who's who in IT
• Jamal Jackson (Detroit MI) - letter to the editor
• Dr. Mae Jemison - 'Dr. Mae Jemison is Headliner at BDPA Conference'
• Pamela Jeter (Verizon Communications) - who's who in IT
• Channelle Johnson (Washington DC) - letter to the editor
• Josephine Johnson, MD - 'Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle'
• Marcus Johnson - 'Team Building: Play Your Way to Profits'
• Patrice Kelly - 'Team Building: Play Your Way to Profits'
• John Laney (CM IT Solutions) - 'IT Entrepreneurs Creating Our Own'
• David Malone (Information Logistics Group) - 'IT Entrepreneurs Creating Our Own'
• Cathy Marks (Houston TX) - letter to the editor
• John McCarthy - 'Securing America Post 9-11'
• Pamela McElvane - publisher's page
• Lamont Meeks (ComSys) - 'Securing Our Future Through Technology'
• Sheryl Nance-Nash - 'IT Entrepreneurs Creating Our Own'
• Sherreen Ogletree (Wiltech Systems Group) - who's who in IT
• Deborah Owens - 'Get Your Wealth Online'
• James Owens - 'Careers in Telecommunications'
• Tyrone Parker (Hewitt Associates) - 'Supercharge Your Career'
• Francis Pereira, Ph.D. (Center for Telecom Management) - 'Careers in Telecommunications'
• Bruce Scheier - 'Securing America Post 9-11'
• Matthew Scott - 'Finding Financial Security'
• Mary Spio (Gray-Spio Digital Media) - 'IT Entrepreneurs Creating Our Own'
• Lolita Standifer - 'BDPA Member Involved in Community Outreach'
• Stephen Trilling (Symantec) - 'Careers in Telecommunications'
• Arthur Varnardo (T. Rowe Price) - 'Get Your Wealth Online'
• Montressa Washington - 'Get Your Wealth Online'
• Carolyn White - 'Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle' and 'Making His Mark in Computer Technology'
• Gregory White (Watson Wyatt Worldwide) - 'Careers in Telecommunications'
• Rebecca Whitener (EDS) - 'Securing Our Resources at Home and Abroad'
• Charmon Parker Williams, Ph.D. - 'Supercharge Your Career'
• Don Woodard, MD - 'Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle'
• Annette Yates (BDPA Richmond) - 'Member Spotlight'

Where are they now?

BDPA HSCC Champion DeOnna Johnson Graduates with Medical Degree from Meharry Medical College

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is extremely proud to announce that 2004 BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) champion DeOnna Johnson received her medical degree today from Meharry Medical College! DeOnna walked across the stage of the Grand Ol' Opry in Nashville, TN to accept her diploma denoting her graduate degree in medicine. DeOnna received her undergraduate degree in Microbiology in 2009 from the University of Tennessee before going to Meharry to study for her medical degree. Our understanding is that DeOnna will do her first post-graduate residency at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sometimes BDPA volunteers and leaders wonder if the work that we do makes a difference. We wonder if our efforts to provide meaningful science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) experiences to the young people in our community will truly get them started on the road from 'classroom to the boardroom'. It is days like today ... when we are able to smile and celebrate in the excellence of young people such as Dr. DeOnna Johnson ... that we know it is all worthwhile.

DeOnna was part of a team of high school students (Auriel Echols, Cornell Gaulmon, Brittany Middleton and Mitchell Word) who vaulted into BDPA history by winning the 2004 National BDPA HSCC championship held in Dallas. Their victory marked the fourth consecutive year that BDPA Memphis chapter took home the gold medal at national HSCC championships ... the first time such a feat had ever been accomplished!

Please join BETF and the rest of BDPA-Nation in sharing some love for DeOnna and her family as they truly enjoy the fruits of her educational labors. I look forward to hearing DeOnna talk with a new generation of BDPA youngsters as time permits. DeOnna is the 'future face of technology' in the medical field. Her story and her success are cause for rejoicing!

HSCC Testimonial: Jamarr Hill (BDPA Detroit, 2003-2004)

Jamarr Hill was a member of the High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA Detroit chapter to compete in the National BDPA HSCC championships held in Philadelphia (2003) and Dallas (2004). He graduated from Martin Luther King High School before studying for a marketing degree at Wayne State University. Jamarr is the owner and chief executive officer of his own company, Balla-Status, Inc.

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I would like to thank Mr. Wayne Hicks for the opportunity to share some experiences that I had as a proud alumni of BDPA’s High School Computer Competition (HSCC). From the moment we tested to see where our skills were, I knew that I would love my journey. I was blessed to have wonderful teachers and excellent sponsors. I learned Java (the best programming language to date) and was able to piece together something that made me feel empowered, creative and cutting-edge. I don't know if BDPA knew it, but they were really preparing me for the future as web applications and design was in its infancy at that time.

After learning a new language and then learning to play a role. We were introduced to an environment that made the inner geek in me smile from ear-to-ear. We traveled to Philadelphia for the 2003 national HSCC championship. There seemed to be thousands of high school aged pioneers at the hotel. We were all there, not just to win, but to learn and grow.

Looking back on those years allowed me to see that I was being steered in a direction that affected my college choices, career choice and life choice. Thank you BDPA. I owe you all my happiness.

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BDPA Education and Technology Foundation is proud to be able to share these HSCC testimonials for posterity. We appreciate Jamarr and the hundreds of other young men and women who have participated in almost 30 years of HSCC championships! We can use your help with funding college scholarships for young people like Jamarr.

Wordless Wednesday: American Airlines CIO Monte Ford

SOURCE: BDPA Flickr Photostream

Take Five: Julia Josefina Berg (BDPA Boston)

Our blog tries to share insights on BDPA from a variety of perspectives. BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) exists to raise money to support BDPA programs, scholarships and services. Sometimes it helps to hear from those who benefit from BDPA.

For example, Julia Josefina Berg is a young woman who participated as a member of the 2004 national high school computer competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA Boston chapter. She went off to college to major in Interactive Media and Game Development. Now she is working for Deloitte.

BETF is very happy that Julia agreed to participate in its 'Take Five' interview series.

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1. How did you get involved with BDPA? - My freshman year in high school I enrolled in a 4-year Computer Programming course part of the Rindge School of Technical Arts program at Cambridge Rindge and Latin. My high school was predominately minority students with low numbers in technology courses. While this was frustrating at times, it also allowed me to have a lot of 1 vs. 1 attention with my good friend, mentor, and teacher Ms. Williams, whom encouraged me to challenge myself to starting my own web design company and finding other minorities interested in pursuing computer science careers. It was she who sent me information about my local BDPA chapter and helped me to enroll in the Saturday training courses.
2. Did BDPA have any influence on your college or career choices? - Definitely, BDPA gave me exposure to different careers and companies that were interested in minority women in the computer science field. It helped me realized that my skills were in high demand and that with continued dedication in my education, I could have a successful career. I also found that my mentors in my Saturday courses provided me with real-world examples of how they used the technical skills they taught me, which made me explore the different career paths computer science could lead to.
3. What do you like most about being a technology consultant with Deloitte? - My favorite part about being a technology consultant with Deloitte is the fact that I am constantly challenged; I have worked in 6 states the last year, each time with a completely different team, client, and technical problem to solve. Part of what I loved most about the HSCC was being thrown a challenge and having to work as a team under pressure to solve a problem, my career choice compliments this aspect completely.
4. What future evolution or change would you like to see in BDPA's STEM-based training? - I would like to see some remote training available for those in areas without current chapter teams, perhaps an online mentorship program that would allow mentors like myself who are unable to commit to one location, to help students with AP computer science prep, technical skill building, HSCC training, etc.
5. Any advice for people considering a donation to BDPA Education and Technology Foundation? - BDPA taught me that where you are from and the culture you are raised in has a lasting impact in establishing your identity, but should not limit your success. I credit my college scholarship and current career in technology consulting, to Ms. Williams, and all of my BDPA minority mentors in technology that both paved the way for me, as well as taught me the important of continuing the tradition.

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BDPA has trained thousands of young people like Julia over the years. We could use your support if we hope to train thousands more in the coming weeks, months and years.

HSCC Testimonial: Gregory Chambers (Hartford, 2001, 2004-2005)

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) has given out over $344,000 in scholarships since 1999. The vast majority of these scholarships go to young people who compete in the BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) championships each year. These high-performing students earn Jesse Bemley Scholarships.

Gregory Chambers is a Bemley Scholar. He was a member of the HSCC team trained by BDPA Hartford chapter that earned the silver medal in the 2005 HSCC championships held in Detroit. Gregory used his scholarship to defray the cost of his education at Tufts University. He is currently a web and database developer.

Here are his thoughts about his HSCC experience:

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My first experience with the HSCC was early in middle school, when I sat in on an HSCC training class where the students were learning to design a basketball game. I was inspired by this project, as I had spent time using object oriented programming to create levels and worlds for one of my favorite DOS-based games, ZZT, which itself came with its own integrated development environment. Although I was unable to keep up with the class that day, it introduced me to Microsoft's Visual Studio, which would become a familiar interface in the years to come.

2004 Hartford HSCC Team

As a Hartford chapter team member during my eighth, eleventh, and twelfth grades, we found ourselves immersed in a challenging competition that most memorably required the rapid development and presentation of a web application that was intuitive and functional, approximating the quality of a site developed professionally over the course of a much larger period of time. This imperative for professional-level quality belied the fact that as Active Server Pages developers much of our precious time was spent using one of programmers' older best friends, the text editor; however, it drove us to excel, and after exciting and demanding trips to compete in Chicago (2001), and Dallas (2004), our efforts culminated in the achievement of first runner up in the 2005 competition in Detroit.

It wasn't just doing well in the competition that defined my HSCC experience; the opportunities that came out of it were multiple. Learning about information technology under the guidance of wizened professionals – the history of computing and how computers work, developing and presenting both an application and the crucial collaboration of the team behind it – and traveling across the country to meet and compete with like-minded peers and mentors made the HSCC experience the defining foundation of my professional life.

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My hope is that Gregory gets reconnected with BDPA Hartford chapter now that he is an IT professional. I also hope that Gregory's story inspires you to support the BDPA Hartford HSCC Scholarship Fund.

HSCC Testimonial: Julia Josefina Berg (Boston)

Originally Posted: Dec 13, 2008

There are times when BDPA leaders begin to doubt the sanity of our involvement in a volunteer organization. We give our time, talent and energy and we wonder if our efforts are making a difference.

That is the reason that BETF continues to seek out and share these High School Computer Competition (HSCC) testimonials. Sometimes we simply need to reminders about the impact of BDPA programs directly from our HSCC students.

Here is one that lifted my spirits from Julia Josefina Berg. She is currently a senior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute who is very active as webmaster for the school's Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) chapter. She was a member of the HSCC team trained by BDPA Boston chapter in 2004. She shares her thoughts on the impact that the HSCC training and competition had on her life. I hope you enjoy her testimonial as much as I did:

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"You have eight hours to create an online DVD rental store. You will be judged on teamwork, solution elegance, unique Graphic User Interface (GUI), and the completeness of the application. You may use your choice of Sun Microsystems Java Technology, Microsoft ASP, Open Source Software PHP, or Microsoft.NET, as your database technology. READY..SET..GO!"

The doors were closed and locked shut. Suddenly there I was...a tiny Latina from Boston in a large, strange, hotel ballroom in Dallas, Texas. The room was packed with adolescents, separated by state into small groups and assigned to computer stations. Even after six months of Information Technology (IT) training, I knew my knowledge from school courses and my creativity were about to be pushed to the
limits.

I remember looking around the table and the adrenaline rush that streamed through my body. Never had I been so proud of my peers and myself. There we were - the first team from Boston in over ten years. Yet we were not only representing Massachusetts, but also our own native countries, Chile and Pakistan. As the three finalists, we battled our way through programming boot camp and won our regional competition to gain a spot for the national contest. The long Saturday classes, the trip across the nation, the individual quiz bowl, and now the eight-hour programming contest! This was actually fun for me - what once was overwhelming was now a natural routine. Fingers typing, ideas flowing, this was what I was meant to do.

The first time I learned of Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) I was a high school freshman and was thrilled to have IT training with other motivated teenagers. Yet I never expected my mentors and teammates to become like family. I had attended class expecting to be an outcast, the same frustrating sensation I often met in the computer classroom. Despite living in a diverse community, I constantly found myself the sole racial minority and the only girl. Here at the competition I was not the only one who had felt lonely in her endeavors. We had all come out on top, the underdog role only motivating us to work harder.

At the national conference I had the honor of meeting Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman to venture into space, and a role model for women in technology worldwide. Her words have stayed with me ever since. She said, "I had to learn very early not to limit myself due to others' limited imagination."

That is what BDPA helped me to realize: where you are from and the culture you are raised in has a lasting impact in establishing your identity, but should not limit your success. Dr.Jemison taught me that you could both keep your ethnic pride, as well as make your mark in this world. BDPA was about more than striving for equality in the IT field, but aiming for the top.

And... Time! Suddenly it was all over. The eight hours of grueling mental stimulation had knocked me out like no other experience. Depleted, I removed my sore fingers and wrists from the keyboard and fell back in my chair. The scene itself was spectacular; hundreds of minority adolescents brought together for a common goal - to show the world that we were the future IT leaders.

I left that Texas ballroom with the confidence to succeed. For the last four years I have dedicated myself to fulfilling my own dreams. I started a web design company and have worked with major organizations such as the Museum of Science and Intel Computer Clubhouse, a global organization that gives minority children the opportunity to learn computer technology. I hope to guide them like BDPA guided me, by following the trails blazed by influential pioneers like Mae Jemison. Why not go for it?

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Please take a moment to share your COMMENTS with Julia about her remembrances. Afterwards take a moment to think about ways that you can help BDPA create more love for technology in young people. How can you help?

HSCC Testimonial: Syed Azfar (Boston Metrowest)

One of the powerful aspects of the BDPA experience is the work we do with young people. We seek to introduce young people to technology at a young age so that they have an option of creating a future for themselves in the information technology (IT) industry.

Here is the story of a young man, Syed Azfar, who participated in the student IT education & scholarship (SITES) program hosted by BDPA Boston Metrowest chapter back in 2004:

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Before I joined BDPA in 2004, I did not know anything about developing websites. All I did on the computer was play games and instant message with friends. It all changed when I joined the BDPA Boston Metrowest chapter. Every Saturday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, we met in Cambridge, MA and started going over HTML. It did not take me long to develop an interest in creating websites. As soon as the first session was over, I went home and started writing codes from the HTML book that I received from the program. The examples given in the book allowed me to understand the basics, which helped me to merge it into a website. During the next few months, we learned how to create databases and connect website to it in order to view and save information.

After months of training, it was time to put it to the test. We flew down to Dallas, Texas for three days to participate in the high school computer competition. The competition took place in two parts.

The first part was the oral, where we answered questions on the history of the information technology (IT) industry and the organization.

The second part involved developing a website for a video company. The website would need to access a database of movies and based on the query would need to provide the results. We only had 8 hours to complete this task. Looking around the massive room, it was evident that the next couple of hours would test our knowledge and our focus. After we were done with the competition, we were encouraged to attend the seminars given by IT professionals on different topics ranging from the new structures of developing websites to emerging technologies to the future growth of the IT field.

Attending that BDPA conference was one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had and to this day I am still part of BDPA and I encourage young students to join this great organization. I am very fortunate to have learned about this organization and to be part of it.

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Syed Azfar is currently a student at the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) majoring in Electrical/Computer Engineering. He is a web development fanatic who loves using new technologies to enhance his web skills. He created his own company to develop websites for his clients.

If you enjoyed this testimonial ... please take a moment to do one of two things. Either use the COMMENTS option below and share your thoughts with us *or* support our efforts to train more young people like Syed by making a secure online donation to the BDPA Foundation!

HSCC Testimonial: Jessica Tipton (Atlanta)

We have some pretty remarkable young people in our annual high school computer competition. I fully expect that many of these students will shake up the world as they get older and progress through their careers. One young woman on her way to stardom is Jessica Tipton. Jessica was a member of the HSCC team trained by BDPA Atlanta chapter in 2002 and 2004. She shared the following testimonial with us recently:

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“The average person lives to be about 70 years old; what you do with the first 20 years of your life, determine if you will spend the rest of your life paying the price of reaping the benefits you have sown.” -Ben Carson

Now that I have reached age 22, I can definitely see the benefits of the seeds that I have sown. I am a recent graduate of Georgia State University majoring in Journalism, having worked at FOX 5 Atlanta, since 2004 and now at CBS Station Sales in New York. In addition, I am a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the reigning homecoming queen for Georgia State University. I have had many blessings in my life, but they did not come easily.

Born February 6, 1987, in Atlanta, Ga. my parents took care of all my household needs. With the combined efforts of my maternal and paternal grandparents, neither my siblings nor I wanted for anything. My paternal grandparents made sure that we were on top of our education seizing any opportunities that came our way. This is why when I heard about the BDPA HSCC program, I was willing to make the sacrifice of sleeping in on Saturdays to take advantage of the opportunity.

There were many times when I think of all the parties that I missed, or all the fun I could have had during high school, but I could not do anything that Friday night because of the HSCC classes on Saturday. Those sacrifices helped to keep me out of many situations that would have prohibited personal growth in the end. The classes helped to keep me focused. Not only did I learn the basics of web programming, but also I learned the importance of teamwork and giving back to the community through my HSCC instructors. Never have I seen a group of individuals up close and personal dedicated to the uplifting of the black community. I thought it was just something of the past, or something to watch on television, but my HSCC instructors helped to make it a reality.

My team went on to compete nationally landing the Atlanta Chapter second place in the 2002 competition. As I started debating in high school, I realized I had a passion for public speaking. That is when I became the project manager for the HSCC team, allowing me to capitalize on my public speaking capabilities.

That was the jumpstart to a career in journalism. Though I am not working directly in the IT industry, the skill set that I received from BDPA helped me to develop teamwork, project management and development skills that is necessary in any career path. BDPA planted seeds in my life, nurtured over the years through the many mentors that I have come across, that allow me to reap the benefits today.
Currently, employers are impressed with my ability to fuse media and technology to keep up with the pace of the industry, skills that would have never developed had I not been apart of the BDPA HSCC program.

“Feed a man to fish, he’s fed for a day; teach a man to fish, he’s fed for a lifetime.”

Thank you BDPA for teaching me to fish!

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Our foundation seeks to increase the number of students that receive Bemley Scholarships in 2009 and beyond. To do so, we need your help. Please consider making an online donation to help us interest young people in science and technology.

Very few of you leave COMMENTS on these testimonials. Please take a moment to respond to this one. Let Jessica and the other HSCC alumni know what you think about their efforts.

2004 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Rankings

The 2004 National BDPA Technology Conference was held in Dallas TX. It was memorable for me as it was the first time I convened the annual conference as 'national president'. One of my favorite BDPA memories is having Dr. Mae Jemison as our keynote speaker for the opening ceremony. I also enjoyed the creativity of our conference director, Jackie Ockleberry, who suggested that we eliminate the dais from the Awards Gala ... it resulted in a wonderful Gala experience.

However, the other major news from the 2004 conference came from the national High School Computer Competition (HSCC). It turns out that the HSCC team trained by BDPA Memphis chapter accomplished something never done before or since ... they earned a fourth consecutive national championship.

Here are the final rankings from the 2004 HSCC championships:

1. Memphis (Auriel Echols, Cornell Gaulmon, DeOnna Johnson, Brittany Middleton and Mitchell Word)
2. Southern Minnesota
3. Albany
4. New Jersey
5. Detroit
6. Hartford
7. Richmond
8. Cincinnati
9. Central Illinois
10. Washington DC
11. Baltimore
12. Chicago
13. Greater Tampa Bay
14. Atlanta
15. Boston Metrowest
16. Cleveland
17. Rhode Island
18. Philadelphia
19. Los Angeles
20. Dayton
21. Orlando
22. St. Louis
23. Dallas

The BDPA Memphis HSCC team demolished their opposition in the final scoring at the 2004 competition. Oddly enough, BDPA Memphis never came back to defend their title. Three other chapters (Albany, Boston and Orlando) have never been back since 2004.

Perhaps we will see them in Raleigh NC later this year...