Raymond Bell, Jr. Elected BDPA-DC President and Executive Committee Chair

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2021 /bdpatoday/ — Raymond Bell, Jr. has been elected to fill the vacancy of Vice President Business Management and President-Elect for BDPA of Greater Washington, D.C. (BDPA-DC). Bell will assume President of BDPA-DC and Chair the Chapter’s Executive Committee on January 1, 2022.

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He will succeed outgoing President and Chair, Perry Carter, who supports Federal, and DOD/IC portfolios for National BDPA. Carter will expand his role in direct support of the Association’s Golden Anniversary Events in 2025, and National BDPA Local Chapter engagements in CONUS with JROTC Units, HBCU/MIs, and CBC (Congressional Black Caucus) Tech 2025 FED/SLED (state and local government and education) initiatives.

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Bell is the founder of R. Emmanuel Bell Consulting, a training and facilitation company. Mr. Bell is a social entrepreneur, keynote speaker and facilitator. He is devoted to teaching and coaching young adults how to become I.T. professionals. Through his workshops, courses and coaching programs Bell shows young adults how to get out of unemployment lines and onto rewarding career paths.

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Bell launched hopeprojectonline in 2021 to help over 1,000 people launch new careers in Information Technology. Bell has been seen on and/or featured in Ebony, ABC, CBS, WHUR, NewOne Now, Bloomberg News, The Washington Post, National Public Radio, National Journal, BET, and many other media outlets. Bell will lead the new board alongside Sedley Randolph, who transitioned to the Chapter’s new Chief of Staff role. Randolph is a 2019 BDPA-DC President’s Community Technology Award recipient.

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With the chapter’s latest rounds of new impact funding from Microsoft and OCTO, Bell is recruiting more Veterans, professionals, students, and interns from the National Capital Region (DMV) to join new committees, offer technical coaching, mentorship, training, and certification programs to meet and exceed emerging cybersecurity and “Smart City” requirements. Adjacent to BDPA-DC, National BDPA also seeks immediate growth and new members in Annapolis, MD; Baltimore, MD; Northern Virginia; Richmond, VA; and new BDPA Chapters collocated with regional HBCU/MSIs.

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Nominations are now open to current or new BDPA-DC Members for the election of new officers and committee chairs for BDPA-DC’s FY22/FY23 board. New BDPA-DC Members may apply for and join as full or student memberships through the Association’s portal at BDPA.org. Current BDPA-DC Members may renew or update membership profiles for current National BDPA career opportunities, industry news, and local events.

 

About BDPA

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BDPA, formerly known as Black Data Processing Associates, was founded in Philadelphia, PA in 1975. Today, BDPA is an international organization with a very diverse membership of professionals and students in the fields of information and communications technology (ICT), computer science, data science, and related S.T.E.M. fields. Local BDPA Chapters and BDPA Members are actively engaged in serving their respective communities through outreach engagements while charting the future of ICT industries.

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D.C. Tech Community and H.O.P.E. Project Alumni Mourn the Loss of Michael Smith, Legendary Coach and Mentor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: HOPE Project

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WASHINGTON—Homegoing services for Michael Craig Smith were held Saturday, July 17th, 2021 at 11am ET in Lee Funeral Home, 6633 Old Alexandria Ferry Road in Clinton, Maryland.

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"Coach" or "Smitty" is legendary across the National Capital Region's tech-inclusion, workforce, and community development initiatives. Nearly 1,000 students he trained and mentored eventually launched exciting new I.T. careers while earning CompTIA ITF+, A+, Network+, Security+, or Microsoft MTA certifications. In 2016, Mr. Smith also received the President’s Community and Technology Award from National BDPA's Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter.

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Mr. Smith was born in Tampa, Florida. He attended and played varsity baseball at Coffee High School in Douglas, Georgia.  He joined the U.S.  Army after graduation and successfully attained he rank of Sergeant First Class with numerous awards and commendations. After his U.S. Army retirement, Mr. Smith continued his Information Technology (I.T.) career with Lockheed Martin. In 2010, Mr. Smith met Mr. Raymond Bell, Jr., Founder, H.O.P.E. Project DC in 2010, where he continued to follow his passion initially as a volunteer, coach, mentor, and as an IT Instructor.

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BDPA and D.C. Tech communities share our deepest sympathies and prayers with the Smith Family and we thank Mr. Smith for his service to our country and selfless dedication toward "Helping Other People Excel" (H.O.P.E.), while "helping other people eat."

 

#WeLoveMrSmitty!

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