Derrick Jakolby Washington is the Director of Programs of Byte Back, a Washington, DC based nonprofit connecting communities with inclusive tech training and pathways into living-wage careers. Under Derrick’s leadership, 60 Byte Back graduates were hired last year, earning more than $24,000 more per year than before training.

Derrick holds a master’s in social work and master’s of divinity. He has experience in government, higher education, and the nonprofit sector. Before Byte Back, he worked as a career counselor and associate professor at Northern Virginia Community College. Derrick describes himself as a “people builder,”brokering relationships with employers, community partners, and companies to build learning opportunities that lead to employment for diverse people in urban communities.