This week (December 7 – 13, 2020) is Computer Science Education Week.
Introduced by a collection of ACM Education Policy Committee in partnership with Congress, the first CSEdWeek was recognized by Congressional Resolution. This annual call to action calls upon partners throughout the United States like iUrban Teen to advocate for Computer Science Education as well as to “underscore the critical role of computing in all careers.”
This week, and in line with the 2020 theme for CSEdWeek: CS for Social Justice, we are excited to celebrate Pioneers of Color who have helped pave the way not only for the BIPOC community but have also made widespread contributions to the field of Computer Science, globally.
As we round out Computer Science Education Week, today we take a look at a pair of iUrban Teen Partners in the world of technology.
Our first spotlight is on Dr. Mona-Lisa Pinkney, Senior Director of Information Security Governance, Risk, Compliance, and Engagement Management in Global Technology at Nike, Inc. A trailblazer in her own right, Dr. Pinkney has broken barriers for both women and people of color, working internationally in the technology field for 25+ years at top Fortune 500 companies. She is a known cybersecurity thought leader and champion of Diversity and Inclusion.
Her broad expertise and professional experience make her highly sought-after, delivering keynotes, speaking on panels, and sharing invaluable insight to businesses and organizations. Dr. Pinkney holds degrees from North Carolina State University, Virginia Tech, Loyola University, and the University of Maryland along with several certifications in Information Security and Project Management.
Dr. Pinkney is a founding member of Black Women in STEM 2.0 and the Founder and President of the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) Oregon Affiliate. She also serves on boards for the Journal of Cybersecurity, Tech Talk Association, and Florida Memorial University. The foundation of all she does is her belief that “to whom much is given, much is expected,” and we are proud to have her as a member of the Executive Council here at iUrban Teen!
Today we also highlight Joel Bush, Chief Technology Officer for the City of Tukwila, in Washington State. He is a well-known leader in the region, with 20 years of experience supporting Fortune 100 companies and municipalities. Joel has a deep knowledge of Operations, Process Improvement, and Quality Management with expertise in Data Analytics. His 16-year tenure at Boeing in Systems Administration and Process Analysis surely helped cultivate his expansive skill set.
Before moving into his current role as CTO, Joel served as the Senior IT Integration Manager for the City where he supported the modernization of city-wide services and the transition of their infrastructure to the cloud. Through his leadership, The City of Tukwila was selected as a finalist for IDC North America Smart Cities Award in Digital Equity and Accessibility, 2018 and Winner, WCMA Innovations in Local Government Award, 2019.
Joel greatly values education and holds Bachelor’s and Masters’ degrees from Western Washington University and City University of Seattle, respectively. He also has a number of professional certifications under his belt. We are honored to have Joel as the iUrban Teen Executive Council Chair and as a member of the Board!
In today’s technological world, computer science is woven into all sorts of interesting and well-paying career tracks. Here at iUrban Teen, we encourage Youth of color to pursue careers like these as we connect them with industry leaders via our many initiatives. Programs such as iCode, iSpy (CyberSecurity), and MindStream endeavor to give students the holistic experience they need to make an informed decision about what type of career they want to pursue based on what sparks their curiosity and creativity. In honor of CSEdWeek, we are offering (3) special classes to introduce students to Computer Science! Today is the last one so be sure to sign up, as spots are filling fast! https://iurbancsweek2020.eventbrite.com/
For more information on iUrban Teen Programming and to learn about volunteer opportunities, please contact us! We’d love to hear from you and are always happy to welcome new partners on our mission to serve students in STEM and The Arts! Your contribution, whether in your time or through donation is sure to help us continue to guide and cultivate Students as they become the Technology Leaders of tomorrow!
Curated by iUrban Teen Staff Writers
