National Tech Training Nonprofit NPower Announces Stephen Ragan Joins Organization as Chief External Relations Officer
As CERO, Ragan will lead the organization’s fundraising and donor engagement, as well as NPower’s growing partnerships with various local, state, and federal government agencies. He will report to the Chief Executive Officer and work closely with the organization’s leadership team, and the Board of Directors.
Ragan was previously Senior Vice President for External Relations at College Possible - one of the nation’s largest nonprofits dedicated to improving college access for underrepresented, first-generation and low-income students. He led fundraising, marketing/communications and their advocacy programs while there.
Before that, he was Senior Vice President with Lawrence Technological University where he launched their first comprehensive capital fundraising campaign that raised $100 Million. He’s also led fundraising campaigns for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Make It Right Foundation where he helped raise more than $100 Million following Hurricane Katrina.
NPower has a proven and award-winning training model bridging the tech industry's national talent gap. It provides employers with diverse talent equipped with the competencies of an information technology (IT) professional with one to two years of experience. Their free flagship program, NPower Tech Fundamentals, teaches students the basics of IT, assists with job placements and offers opportunities to earn industry-recognized certifications. The free training program addresses barriers that exist among young adults, military-connected individuals, and women of color eager to enter the field of technology.
“I’m thrilled to be joining an incredibly talented team that is focused on creating career opportunities for young adults and military-connected individuals while addressing critical skill needs of industry,” said Ragan. “NPower has an impressive network of funders and employers that have helped it become the leader in rapid education and training for high-demand technology careers. As a Detroiter, I’m especially excited about NPower’s substantial commitment to Michigan.”
Bertina Ceccarelli, CEO of NPower, said her organization wanted an experienced, mission-driven strategic leader with a deep commitment to advancing equity in the tech industry.
“Stephen Ragan is committed to our core values and our mission to upend generational poverty,” said Ceccarelli. “He brings proven leadership and a track record of developing exceptional funding partnerships required to scale. He is also dedicated to building strong teams with a focus on cultivating great talent and fostering collaboration. Steve is just the nonprofit leader NPower needs now to realize our growth aspirations for 2030."
Ragan continues to serve and lead several boards, including Advantage Health (Vice Chairperson), All Saints Literacy Center (Chairperson), and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (Past President). He was the recipient of the John S. Lore Award for Outstanding Fundraising Professional in 2021. Crain’s Detroit Business named him a “Notable Leader in Philanthropy.”
About NPower
NPower is a national nonprofit on a mission to move people from poverty to the middle class by training youth from underserved communities and military-connected individuals in a range of tech skills and placing them in quality jobs. Students who enter their free, six-month 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.
Over the past decade, NPower has provided IT, cloud, and cyber training to residents in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio and California.
More than 10,000 NPower graduates have launched tech careers with Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized enterprises, government agencies, staffing firms, and nonprofit organizations. And more than 80 percent of NPower students secure employment or continue their education within 6 months of graduation. NPower graduates see an average starting salary of $45,372, according to national data from NPower.
This employer pipeline is also strengthening the overall competitiveness of U.S. businesses hamstrung by today’s limited pool of IT talent. To learn more about NPower, visit https://www.npower.org.
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