Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Feb/Mar 2008 (Amber Arthur)

You Have to Know a Lot to Work With Data. Amber Arthur has been with Walgreens (Deerfield, IL) for two years. "I wanted a data modeling position in healthcare because it's a dynamic, ever-changing field and requires a more complex dimension of modeling."

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Feb/Mar 2008 (Douglas Porter)

IT Continues to Expand Its Role in Healthcare. In the not too distant future, when a doctor examines a patient to find the cause of an illness the patient will be examined virtually as well as physically, says Douglas V. Porter. Porter heads the Mayo Image Studio team at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN)...

[NOTE: Douglas served as president of BDPA Southern Minnesota chapter in 2007-2008]

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Feb/Mar 2008 (Michael Robinson)

Microsoft's Michael Robinson: Helmsman for the World's IT Giant. From his professional IT work in Dubai in the UAE to his private venture to build a school in Cameroon in Central Africa, it’s Michael D. Robinson’s personal mission to improve the world around him...

[NOTE: Michael Robinson was BDPA New York chapter president in 1988-1989 and a founding director of the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation].

Read the full media story here.

The Voice Newspaper, 2/20/2008 (BDPA Richmond)

Richmond Black Data Processing Associates. The Richmond Metropolitan Area Chapter of Black Data Processing Associates kicked off its 2008 Middle School Computer Terminology Quiz Bowl and High School Computer Competition on February 16th...

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Dec 2007/Jan 2008 (Lori Walker)

IT Giant Compuware Knows the Value of Human Capital. Lori Walker, director of diversity, emphasizes the importance of maintaining an inclusive environment. “We have a mandatory employee inclusion training program,” she says. “We have built relationships with professional, community and minority organizations throughout the world to enhance our search for the best talent in the industry...

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Oct/Nov 2007 (National BDPA)

A capital time in the nation’s capitol. The 2007 national technology conference of Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) in Washington, DC had something for everyone: youth activities and competitions, high-powered technical seminars, career-building panel discussions and wonderful networking opportunities. Corporate sponsors were recognized at several events, and the conference wound up with a well-attended two-day career fair and a gala banquet.

Read the media story here.

CIO, 10/24/2007 (BDPA)

CIO Succession Planning Made Simple. Finding the new you is never easy. But when you're global CIO of a $US14 billion company, some would argue, it's a fiduciary responsibility to figure out who will succeed you when you retire. That's what June Drewry, global CIO of The Chubb Corp, says. And she's thought about succession planning almost since the day in October 2005 when she arrived at Chubb from rival Aon Corp.

Read the media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Aug/Oct 2007 (Angela White-Parker)

LA techie Angela White-Parker is a "phenomenal woman" Angela White-Parker was one of five recipients of the 2007 Phenomenal Women award given by the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles. The award recognizes women for professional achievements and community service...


Read the full media story here.

Pepperdine University, 9/1/2007 (Kai Dupe)

Student Computer Club: A Growing Community Beyond Borders. Since its inception in 2004, the continued growth of ACM Pepperdine has been due to the support and dedication of our members, founders, and officers. These include current officers Bardia Behravesh, Cathleen Deckers, Kai Dupe, Linda Eller, Jeff Lee, Lee Parmenter, Theresa Stanley, and Tammy Stephens; past presidents Mike Castaneda (04-05) and Tina Sartori (05-06); and incoming president Stacey Kizer (07-08). In addition to regular meetings on Malibu Island in Second Life, the group of officers plans local events and provides connections to resources and opportunities through the larger ACM organization.

Read the full Pepperdine University article here.

UMC News, 8/23/2007 (Delano Robinson, Lorenzo Marshall)

Delano Robinson Wins College IT Showcase. Delano Robinson, of Bloomington, Ill., recently earned 1st Place in the college division of the IT Showcase held in conjunction with the 29th annual National BDPA Technology Conference in Washington, DC. Robinson was the best of five college students that participated in division of the IT Showcase as determined by the judges. The BDPA IT Showcase was sponsored by IBM and Eli Lilly & Company. Elmer Corbin (IBM) and Tim Coleman (Eli Lilly) shared comments with the students during the award ceremony.

Read the rest of the media story here.

SlideShare, 8/14/2007 (Kai Dupe)

An Introduction to Second Life. Kai Dupe gave this presentation at the 2007 National BDPA conference in Washington DC. Second Life is a 3-D virtual world. It is entirely built and owned by its players known as residents. Since its inception in 2003, it has exploded in popularity and currently boasts upwards of six million residents. Among its residents are educators who are exploring the possibilities of digital literacies. The critical dimension of literacy is the basis for ensuring individuals are not merely able to participate in some existing literacy and make meanings within in, but also that, in various ways, they are able to transform and actively produce it. This presentation explores the possibilities of a digital/virtual learning environment. Advantages and disadvantages of utilizing this delivery mechanism as well as the techniques needed for effective delivery will be discussed.

BDPA Conference Second Life Presentation

View more presentations from kaidupe.

Chattanooga Times Free Press, 8/7/2007 (Derek Griffin, Jahon Horton, Lanita Russell, Antonio Watson)

Area Students Head North for Contest. Three Chattanooga high school students will participate in a national data processing competition sponsored by the Black Data Processing Associates based in Greenbelt, MD. The High School Computer Competition will be held in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 15 through Aug. 18, said Lanita Russell, public relations director for the Chattanooga chapter of the BDPA.

Read the full Chattanooga Times Free Press article here.

YouTube, 8/5/2007 (Perry Carter, Donna Woodall)

BDPA and Microsoft Local News Interview (2007 NBDPA Conference Washington, D.C.). Donna Woodall of Microsoft and Perry Carter, NBDPA's Host Chapter President are interviewed by News Channel 8's News Talk host, Bruce DePuyt.

YouTube, 8/1/2007 (Gina Billings, Sharrane Morton)

BDPA (DC) ITAV Pilot interview featuring Women CEOs of Technology Organizations. Ms. Sharrarne Morton, CEO of Morton Media, interviews Ms. Gina Billings, National BDPA President and Ms. Lisa Harbour-Carter, President and CEO of Wynnewood Technologies, prior to the 2007 National BDPA Technology Conference in Washington, D.C.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, 8/1/2007 (Clifford Lowe)

Kids' Programs. Free Concert: BDPA Pittsburgh Chapter Presents Ahveekhy.

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, June/July 2007 (Gina Billings, Chiji Ohayia, Anita Vega)

BDPA goes global at 2007 national conference. 'Global strategy for the IT professional" is the theme of the twenty-ninth annual conference of Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), the national organization that works to advance the careers of African American IT pros...

Read the full media story here.

JRJ.com, 5/12/2007 (Irma Pittman)

Corporate Sponsor PSEG Donates Computers for BDPA-NJ's' Families in Technology 'Day. Today Newark students and their families gathered at the Science Park High School in Newark, where PSEG co-sponsored the 4th Annual Families in Technology (FIT) Day...

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, April/May 2007 (Javelin Lawrence)

Insurance Firms' Drive for Innovation Boosts the Role of the IT Pro. At State Farm Insurance Co (Bloomington, IL), Javelin Lawrence works in data and info strategies as a system analyst. She supports and services the front end of a tool to improve the productivity of product model developers. "I work with a team of analysts who are supporting and servicing a very complex application," she says. Lawrence also coordinates the local high school computer camp for BDPA and teaches at the camp. "In 2006 our kids placed fifth in the country," she says proudly.

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, April/May 2007 (Dele Oladapo)

Dele Oladapo is VP of IS at Prudential Financial. Oladapo appreciates the mentoring support he gets at Prudential, especially from Barbara Koster, SVP and CIO, whose management team has helped him through special projects. He's also a member of Prudential's Black Leadership Forum, the New Jersey chapter of BDPA, the NextGen Network of the Executive Leadership Council and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Read the full media story here.

WIS News 10, 1/19/2007 (BDPA Greater Columbia)

Computer Classes at Midlands Tech Welcoming High Schoolers. Registration starts Saturday for the 2007 BDPA High School Computer Training Program at Midlands Technical College's Northeast Campus.

Read the full WIS News 10 article here.

Working Mother, 12/31/2006 (Allstate Insurance)

2006 Women of Color. Women of color are in good hands with Allstate—especially when it comes to career advancement. All multicultural women received career counseling last year. They also accounted for about a third of the women who participated in Allstate's mentoring program. Plus, employees can tap into specialized mentoring groups, such as the Black Data Processing Associates, a networking opportunity for women-of-color IT professionals, and MenTTium, an executive development program for midlevel female employees.

Read the rest of the article here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Oct/Nov 2006 (Denise Holland)

Transportation Offers Increasing Opportunities for Women and Minorities. Denise Holland is principal officer and SAP production support manager at Amtrak, working at the forefront of transportation technology. Amtrak's high-speed Acela trains, for example, look like speeding bullets as they fly from Boston to Washington, DC, she says ... A native of Baltimore, Holland learned basic programming at a summer school program. "I was hooked right away," she says. So much so, that today she's national president-elect of BPDA. "I like to keep busy," she remarks with a smile.

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Oct/Nov 2006 (Charmaine Allen)

Charmaine Allen is a Senior Manager at BCBSIL. Charmaine Allen has worked with the electronic claim processing systems at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL, Chicago, IL) for more than twenty years. Her thorough knowledge of the health insurance business and technology helps her guide best practices in processing claims, data collection, management and imaging systems ... She's a member of BDPA, and likes to mentor young people interested in IT careers.

Read the full media story here.

Diversity/Careers in Engineering & Information Technology, Oct/Nov 2006 (ING Americas)

ING's diverse employee groups help the company succeed. Many sites are growing. Program managers, project managers, business analysts, QA pros, database and data warehouse pros and software developers are needed. "We look for sharp IT people who also understand business needs and can speak the language of both," Robertson says. ING works with groups like BDPA and the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting to find potential candidates...

Read the full media story here.

Business Courier of Cincinnati, 10/9/2006 (Wayne Hicks, Earl Pace)

Hicks to head BDPA Foundation. A local business incubator CEO will take on additional duties as the head of a national nonprofit.

Read the media story here.

Auburn University News, 9/14/06 (Juan Gilbert, Betty Hutchins, Gina Billings)

Auburn University and BDPA Launch IT Institute. Black Data Processing Associates joined with Auburn University in the launch this month of the Information Technology Institute Certification Program, an innovative online service designed to help IT professionals sharpen their technical skills and boost their leadership potential.

Read the media story here.

Diverse Issues in Higher Education, 9/7/2006 (Juan Gilbert)

Minority Computing Group Establishes IT Institute at Auburn University. The national Black Data Processing Associates organization is kicking off the BDPA Information Technology Institute Certification Program this month...

Read the full media story here.

YouTube, 8/15/2006 (2006 National BDPA Conference)

The BDPA Foundation YouTube account now has 17 videos including these from the 2006 National BDPA Technology Conference was held in Los Angeles CA. This 3-part video runs for a total of 23 minutes. The video produced by video produced by Kevin Jones (Visual Propaganda) and divided into three parts by Jeff Walt (Jeff Walt Designs)


2006 BDPA Conference (1 of 3)




2006 BDPA Conference (2 of 3)




2006 BDPA Conference (3 of 3)


Do you have any memories of the 2006 BDPA conference held in Los Angeles that you can share with us?

VisionIT Media Room, 8/2/2006 (David Segura)

Detroit-based VisionIT CEO Shares Panel with Nation’s Top IT Executives. On Friday, August 4th in Los Angeles, CA, the Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) will host its annual luncheon as a part of its 2006 National Technology Conference, which features a panel discussion with some of the nation’s top senior-level information technology executives, including VisionIT president/CEO David H. Segura.

“I am absolutely honored that the BDPA would ask me to engage in such an important discussion along with its members and such an influential group of executives,” said David Segura. “As a U.S.-based supplier with 10 years of IT staffing, outsourcing and vendor management experience, VisionIT brings a unique perspective to this discussion. We have experienced tremendous growth all the while positioning ourselves to become more competitive in the global marketplace.”

Read the full media release here.

Business Wire, 8/1/2006 (Chiji Ohayia)

Capella University PhD Grad Picked to Direct 2006 National Black Data Processing Associates Technology Conference; Chiji Ohayia, a 2005 PhD Graduate of the Online University, Will Direct Conference from August 2-5 in Los Angeles. Chiji Ohayia, a recent PhD graduate of Capella University's School of Business and Technology, will direct the 28th-annual National Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) Technology Conference, which will be held August 2 to August 5 at the Los Angeles Airport Hilton. "I am honored to be part of this event. The BDPA is the premiere organization for Black IT professionals and this conference will bring nearly 700 of us together in a truly engaging and inspiring atmosphere," Ohayia said.

Read the full media story here.