Bertina Ceccarelli

Bertina is on a mission to advance racial and gender equity in the tech industry and disrupt the status quo to build a more inclusive workplace. As the CEO of NPower, one of the most successful non-profits in North America committed to helping young adults and military-connected individuals launch tech careers, she to breaks down barriers to social and economic mobility. She is endlessly inspired by the life journeys of NPower alumni, and by the forward-looking corporate employers who see brilliance where others see limitations. Under her leadership NPower has grown its budget five-fold in the last six years and today serves over 2,000 individuals annually.

As a leader, she understands that any organization devoted to advancing diversity and equity must itself model an inclusive workplace, providing opportunities for growth and leadership at all levels. Bertina has been intentional about building a team of extraordinary colleagues who bring their deep professional expertise as well as their personal experiences to the mission. NPower’s team demonstrates how the power of diversity delivers better solutions.

She embraced the mission of NPower after a long career in the corporate sector and with a deeply personal set of motivations. Growing up in a working-class family and the first to graduate from high school, getting a college degree was not a forgone conclusion. It was only through the coaching and counseling of adults who took the time to care that she was set on a very different path, earning a B.S. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research at U.C. Berkeley and an MBA from Harvard Business School. It brings her joy to help others connect with their pathway, and to inspire a new generation of leaders to operate at the intersection of good business and better humanity.

Bertina’s commitment to helping others break social and economic mobility barriers has led to her involvement in strategic alliance organizations, including Founding member of TechPACT