Message from BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President (May 2018)

Johnson, Harrigan, Harrigan and Murph

Good morning BDPA Members, I am prompted to give you this update because I attended a graduation celebration for one of our BDPA students last night. I will additionally update you on three other BDPA Students in attendance. This was Hadiya Harrigan’s celebration. From left to right Christian Johnson, Hasani Harrigan, Hadiya Harrigan and Austin Murph are shown in the photo.

Christian graduated this spring from North Carolina A&T State University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and he has accepted a Product Engineering position at Microsoft in Dallas Texas.

Second from the left is Hasani Harrigan. Hasani is a junior at Tuskegee University majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Hasani has been selected for an internship at Boeing this summer.

Frank Hill

Third from the left is Hadiya Harrigan. Hadiya graduated Summa Cum Laude from Tuskegee University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Hadiya will be attending Duke University in the fall, pursuing Masters and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Hadiya will intern at P&G this summer.

Austin Murph is on the far right. Austin is currently attending the University of Cincinnati at Blue Ash. Austin plans to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Ohio State University in the fall.

As a long time, instructor for BDPA and Cincinnati State, I am continuously energized by the success of students that I have taught. I further believe that there is a great need for people to teach technology at any level and I encourage everyone to actively "get in the game". You are needed and your impact will last forever!

Have a great day!
Frank Hill
President, BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

Message from BDPA New York Chapter President

Jeannine Andre-Burns

I want to personally say Happy New Year and I am looking forward to working with each of you.  Your membership has shown to BDPA New York that you want to be apart of a network of like-minded technology savvy people that wants to network, increase their skill-sets and give back.  So thank you for your passion and mission.

We have been building relationships with colleges and finding a home to meet every month.   We are lining up speakers and making sure that all planning will be geared towards meeting our members’ needs.   There are lots of opportunities for our New York Chapter to reboot and thrive.   I want us to all be apart of this exciting time.   That is why 2018 will represent the “BDPA New York Reboot” movement and it will begin with the “Take 5” initiative.

 

This movement will be an outreach to you as a member by getting down to the “Top 5” basics.  Determining the top 5 needs of our membership, speaking on the top 5 trending topics of 2018, having meetings at the top 5 areas to service our membership, and partnering with a college to build students’ top 5 skills.  We are happy to say that we are moving forward with developing a BDPA New York Club at Pace University.  This alliance will put a hop in New York Chapter’s skip with keeping BDPA New York in line with promoting student relationship, building Chapter spirit, and empowering them by partnering with seasoned members to be the dare devils of the technology industry.

We are looking for a home in the heart of Manhattan. If anyone has corporate space that their company will allow for our monthly meetings, please reach out to locations@bdpa-ny.org if you have any questions or can provide any input to gathering space. 

Upcoming:

1. Our 2018 BDPA Conference this year will be in jazzy New Orleans!  Early Bird specials end March 31, so log into www.bdpa.org to register.
2. BDPAFuture# is the theme of our overall vision through the United States with 30 chapters alive and well.  For the first time, BDPA is offering monthly Tech Talks with the first kick off this Friday.  Topics such as BDPA Digital, AI, and Branding Yourself are already scheduled out till March.  Register for free at  BDPA Career and Tech Talks.
3. We are looking for volunteers for the following committees:  Planning Committee (speakers, business events, and locations), Social Media Committee (maintain BDPANY social media platform with trending content), Membership Committee (survey members and email outreach).
4. We have Board positions opened:  President Elect, Director of HSCC, Webmaster, Board Secretary.  Please email candidates@bdpa-ny.org if you are interested in any of these positions.

Last note, I’m really excited about the Reboot Movement with "The Take 5" initiatives and looking forward to getting to know you. 

 

Jeannine Andre-Burns, president

BDPA New York

Message from BDPA Atlanta Chapter President (February 2018)

Victor Montgomery

Hello and Happy Black History Month.  I hope your year is off to a tremendous start.  I’m sure 2018 New Year Resolutions are being actively pursued and dreams are being realized.  I have been in the role of President for the BDPA Atlanta Chapter for over a year now.  I have seen a great deal of progression, however, there is still much more to do.  I am excited to work hand-and-hand with National BDPA leadership to continue to move the needle forward.

As members of BDPA Atlanta, I want to provide you an update on the State of the BDPA Atlanta Chapter.  This update will focus on professional membership, collegiate membership, Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) & National High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Programs.

Professional Membership

Last year we had a number of sessions for professionals, however, we did not engage our professional members as much as we would have liked to.  This year we are seeking to ensure we host activities to reignite excitement around BDPA Atlanta.  We want to host activities that benefit our membership.  The first step to achieving success is by being transparent.  As a chapter, we have to bring focus to our professional members.  We are committed to this, however, we need your assistance.  We need your participation and volunteerism.  We want to ensure we are serving you in a way that contributes to your advancement.  You will see more communications from the Atlanta team, we simply ask that you respond by participating and volunteering.

If your membership has lapsed, I humbly ask that you give BDPA Atlanta Chapter another opportunity.  I believe if we work together we can reignite the success of the Atlanta Chapter.

If you are interested in speaking or have an idea for a session, please email president@atlantabdpa.org.

Collegiate Membership

In conjunction with National BDPA, BDPA Atlanta is excited to announce plans to start collegiate chapters.  The initial chapters will be at the following institutions:
 

• Atlanta University Consortium (Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, and Spelman)
• Georgia State University
• Kennesaw State University

We are in the beginning stages of establishing these chapters.  If you know of students at any of these institutions or surrounding institutions please share this great news.  We will notify members of information sessions for each collegiate chapter.

SITES & HSCC

Last year was an exciting year for our youth programs.  We had over 40 high school students participate in HSCC, as well as a college student participate in the Mobile App Competition.  Our HSCC team finished 2^nd place for the coding competition.  That makes two 1^st and one 2^nd place finish in the last three years.  In addition, we won the 2017 Mobile Application Competition for High School participants.  Overall, we have achieved a great deal.

This year, we have over 75 participants in HSCC.  We are looking to maintain that count until the August competition.  The students are very excited!  We are also anticipating a significant increase in Mobile Application Competition participants.

Closing

As you can see, we have been doing a great deal in Atlanta, however, we know we can do more.  From National competitions, our students have been awarded over $40K+ in the last three years because of the commitments we have made to them, “From the classroom to the boardroom”.  As a member of BDPA Atlanta, you have contributed to that success.

I am committed to our students and I am committed to you.  Please join me in making this a year that BDPA Atlanta will never forget.

Sincerely,
Victor Montgomery, president
BDPA Atlanta Chapter

Message from National BDPA President (January 2018)

BDPA’s Future is now present. #BDPAFuture is our national platform and how we will be presenting our 2018 goals: Create New Experiences, Grow Strategic Partnerships, and Build a Stronger Operational Foundation.

Terry Morris

The Digital economy is here and BDPA and its membership will play a key role in how tech is developed around the world. To make this real, we must increase exposure of high tech innovations and real-world applications. We must also empower our membership and friends with the leadership skills and career passion necessary to thrive in this vibrant landscape.

We are introducing BDPA Digital as our capability to articulate the evolution of IT and Business Trends occurring in the Digital Landscape. These trends include Artificial Intelligence, Analytics, Robotic Automation, Wearables, Internet of Things, and Blockchain. These digital trends are built on an IT foundation of Security, User Experience, Operations, and Solution Delivery.

In addition to the BDPA Digital capability, we are launching a new focus on Leadership and Career Development. Many of our members have great skills and knowledge that need to be leveraged to the extreme of their potential. To aid your ability to reach your potential we are creating some focused attention on building your leadership foundation, including communication, influence, political awareness, performance management, etc...In addition, we are bringing a focus on career development to help our members chart and navigate the roadmap of their future whether they have corporate, non-profit, or entrepreneurial aspirations.

Our National Technology Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 9-11. We have also created two new channels to develop and expose our member to the tools and resources they need.

1. Leadership/Career Talks - On the Second Friday of each month from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm we will have leadership skills or career development talk aimed at helping you reach your full potential. This content will also be delivered by a strategic partner or experienced BDPA member.
2. Tech Talks - On the Fourth Friday of each month from 11:30 am - 1:00 pm we will have a tech talk from the High Tech industry or one of our BDPA members with deep experience in one of the BDPA Digital areas of focus.

In addition to what has already been shared, we are launching communities of practice in entrepreneurship, analytics, Security, and others over time. Stay tuned for additional press releases and posting about these new areas of focus.




For your youth and college students, we are looking to build upon the successes of our “Classroom to Boardroom” motto by enriching our current experiences (ie Mobile App Showcase, IT Showcase, HSCC, and YTC) using the BDPA Digital framework. We will be leveraging strategic partners in High Tech and Academia to created a  modern and standardized experienced around the country. We are also reinvesting in our college chapter construct to create more continuity and opportunities for students, schools, and corporations alike.

BDPA is a great organization with a rich and profound legacy. We appreciate the sacrifices, investments, and efforts of our founders (David Wimberly and Earl Pace), previous national and local leadership, sponsorship, and of course the many members and students around the country.

BDPA has been primarily a membership and volunteer-based organization. This construct has made it difficult to always deliver consistently at optimal levels. However, with the increased focus on value to membership and stakeholders, the organization is poised and ready to experience #BDPAFuture now. The time to get engaged and stay engaged with BDPA is NOW!

• If you aren’t a member, JOIN US
• If you are a member, ENGAGE WITH US
• If you are a partner, SUPPORT US

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Click here for a welcome video from National President, Terry Morris.

Message from BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President

Happy New Year BDPA Members, Sponsors and Supporters!

Frank Hill

As incoming BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President, I first want to thank the chapter board of directors, led by Na'Shawnda (Mitchell) Peterson for continuing the tradition of strong chapter leadership. I would also like to recognize and thank Debbie Sanders for continuing in the vital role of VP-Finance for another term. I commit to continue the long history of BDPA service to the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky community during my term.

Over the years since I joined BDPA, I have observed that the organization has contributed to the professional growth of members through mentorship and developmental opportunities. I have seen reserved individual contributors develop skills in BDPA and rise to dynamic leadership roles in Corporate America.

I am particularly gratified by the growth of our student population through the Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) programs. I have personally seen how the BDPA experience has helped our students gain access to highly competitive education and technical opportunities. The following are a subset of recent SITES student achievements:

• Yaw Asante led our National Competition Team and completed a software development internship at Children’s Hospital Medical Center last summer. Yaw received multiple BDPA scholarships. Yaw is currently attending Princeton University majoring in Computer Science.
• Hasani Harrigan graduated HS 2016; attending Tuskegee University; majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Hasani received multiple BDPA scholarships. Hasani was awarded the University of Southern California Summer Research fellowship in the summer of 2017. 
• Mouhamadou Guisse graduated HS 2016 with a scholarship to Ohio State University, majoring in Mechanical Engineering
• Adam Goines graduated HS 2016; attending University of Dayton majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Adam won the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Scholarship which provides for funding Bachelors through PhD
• Hadiya Harrigan graduated HS 2015; attended Tuskegee University; received multiple BDPA Scholarships; recognized as one of the top 25 high school women in technology nationally and recognized as one of the top 10 Girl Scouts in the world for her Gold Project. Hadiya received internships from General Electric and Procter & Gamble.
• Kamin Johnson graduated HS 2013; graduated Full Sail University with degree in Game Development; currently Software Game Developer at Even Holdings Inc. in Austin Texas.
• Chidima Okafor graduated HS 2013; attended St Louis University; Completed BS double major in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Chidima is currently attending graduate school at the University of Cincinnati.

In a technology driven society, BDPA’s role is increasingly important to ensure that minorities gain access to the mentoring and training required to be successful in STEM related careers. I look forward to meeting all of you to formulate and execute strategies to further propel our community “From the Class Room to the Board Room”.

Have a great day!
Frank Hill, president
BDPA Cincinnati Chapter

Message from BDPA Cincinnati Chapter President

Shawnda Peterson

Good morning all!

We had a good state of the union session last night. We were able to sign up three new individuals and hopefully have three move willing to join the organization. We discussed the national conference taking place in Cincinnati, Ohio during the week of July 26 - July 29. This is the first time in the 39 years the national conference has been taking place that it has been held in Cincinnati. This is a great accomplishment not only for our city but for our local chapter.

We have several interests with the media to do stories on several of the initiatives taking place inside of our organization. I hope everyone on the board will be willing if need to help speak and discuss some of the great things were are doing in the organization and how we are preparing for the conference. I hope everyone would be able to attend this year. The cost is $350/members and $450/non-members. and it is a strong possibility that your company will pay for your conference fees. I put in the request in this morning for me and I hope you do the same. Dr. Dalric Webb will be the local representative for the conference. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to him.

Debbie Sanders on January 11, 2017 stepped up to fill the board position as the VP of Finance. I would like everyone to please congratulate her on her new position when you have a chance. Thank you so much Debbie for stepping up in 2017 and we truly appreciate all your work.

We had an open forum with the group and here are some topics the members would like to see this year. If you know anyone who could possible speak on any of the topics please reach out to Aissatou Guisse.

Potential Topics included:

BDPA Cincinnati Program Meeting

• Alexa app development 
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)
• Artificial Intelligence
• Cybersecurity
• Datalake
• DevOps - Mike Lively has volunteer to speak to the group again
• Entrepreneurship
• Internet of Things (including security)
• Linux
• Mobile application development and deployment
• Network Security
• Protecting websites from web scrapers
• Recruitment Panel - This will be our February monthly meeting
• Security

I would like a take a moment to thank all board members and members who make an effort to join the monthly meetings. I truly appreciate it. I look forward to a good 2017 and hope that we can continue some good work.

Sincerely,
Shawnda Peterson, president
BDPA Cincinnati Chapter
(513) 549-6991
Twitter: @BDPACincinnati

Message from BDPA Atlanta Chapter President

BDPA Atlanta – The President’s Roundup – A Dialogue on Race

Derrick Brown

Race continues to be a point of conversation, confusion, condescension, convolution and equivocation. As our society and culture evolves so too does the conversation and concept of race. On Wednesday February 17, 2016 BDPA Atlanta continued its conversation on race with expert facilitator Tia Buckham-White of Notre International.

Why do I describe the issue of race in the fashion I just did? Because quite simply that is how race has changed over time. It has always been difficult, however as colors change, people change, ethnicity and cultures rise and combine we have begun to regard race with both simplicity and complexity in equal measure. Was he being racist? Was he not being racist? Did she really man to do that? Can you be a racist and Black? Was she subject to unconscious bias? And now we have Asians, Indians, Arabs, Africans, East Europeans, Gays, Trans, Muslims … you name it, we got it. The Diversity Wheel Turns and Rises!

Race and racism are no longer just about Black and white.

Now, just to be clear as I have done before and I will reiterate again, my perspective on race (and it is mine) is quite simple. There is only race with regard to sentience on this planet, and that is the human race. We come in all shades, shapes, and sizes. The more real differentiator is the ethnicity of our origin and the cultures that arise out of our societal structures.

That’s done.

Tia led us through a discussion of what we as African Americans have experienced in the corporate environment. She shared many of her personal experiences leading Circle Dialogues with executives at fortune 500 companies. A Circle Dialogue is a powerful tool used to generate deep personal conversation between people on difficult topics, often leveraging personal experiences and backgrounds.

One of the most powerfully illuminating stories she relayed to our membership was how in one dialogue a white female executive who many Black people thought might be racist for whatever reason revealed that she was practically raised by a Black family. Another vice president revealed how hurt he was because he could not allow his kids to visit his parents. His wife was white, his kids were white, but his parents were staunch racists and he absolutely refused to expose his children to such hate. Pause, and simply late that settle in for a moment.

Our conversation on Wednesday continued along these lines. We discussed tools that we might use in order to better manage the overt as well as subtle challenges we might encounter in the work environment. Often enough these challenges are exercises in perspective, and the clarity that can come from good dialogue that embraces positive conflict and a sincere effort to lean into discomfort can readily drive us towards a good outcome, dispelling racism and driving towards tolerance and acceptance.

BDPA Atlanta will continue these exercises with Tia Buckham-White and over the course of 2016 we will offer workshops that dig deeper into how we manage the angst, conflict and lack of opportunity that can arise from racism. This is the commitment BDPA is providing to you. A value proposition we are certain you can believe in. If you are not a member become a member today!

The Aspiring Critical Thinker,
D.S. Brown, President
BDPA Atlanta