Demetrius Goodwin

Demetrius Goodwin is a native of Anniston, Alabama.  As a Non-Commissioned Officer in the US Army Signal Corp, Demetrius served four years supervising a team of data, voice and satellite communication specialists for the 29th and 67th Signal Battalions.  Demetrius has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Biology from August State University. He is also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Demetrius has served as Program Director for the NPower Maryland Region since 2018.  He and his team were responsible for the IT training, certification and technology job opportunities of over 350 trainees.  Prior to NPower, his experience includes over 12 years of government contractor staffing, recruitment, account management and business development.  This includes managing a 200 person government contract with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and a 400 person IT MSP contract with the District of Columbia.  Some of his hobbies include woodworking, reading, music production and travel.  

Demetrius has a tremendous passion for his community and its continuous progress and future empowerment.  As a personal mission, he seeks to be a beacon of courage, determination and resilience for his family and colleagues. He, his wife and 15 year old daughter are proud residents of Baltimore City and look forward to continuing to serve the NPower Maryland region. 

Diana Saenz, Ph.D.

Diana, originally from El Paso, TX, is an accomplished leader with over 20 years of experience in educational leadership across Texas. In her new role as Executive Director of Texas, Diana brings her strategic vision, proven leadership, and dedication to fostering positive outcomes for the communities she serves. Diana’s career is marked by her ability to lead organizations through complex challenges, including the pandemic. As the founding Director of NPower Houston, she played a critical role in advancing the organization’s mission throughout the Gulf Coast region, effectively collaborating with partners, community members, funders, and staff.

Diana’s academic credentials further highlight her commitment to excellence. She holds a degree in Political Science & French from the University of Texas at El Paso, an M.B.A. from Webster University, and a Ph.D. in School Improvement from Texas State University. Diana is excited to continue driving impactful initiatives, ensuring growth and sustainability, and creating lasting, positive change in her new role as Executive Director of Texas.

Candice Dixon

Candice Dixon is a mission-driven nonprofit leader with over 15 years of experience supporting local, national, and global organizations. Her work spans community building, public health, anti-trafficking, and programs designed to help individuals—especially women and girls—gain access to the resources and support they need to thrive.

As Executive Director of NPower’s Command Shift, a national consortium of Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, and civic partners, Candice leads collaborative efforts to create pathways into the tech industry for individuals from untapped communities. Under her leadership, Command Shift has launched initiatives like Path2TECH App Development, helping more people transition into meaningful tech careers and achieve long-term economic stability.

Candice has successfully led major philanthropic campaigns and cultivated partnerships that have strengthened the capacity and impact of mission-driven organizations. She is also a dedicated community leader, with volunteer service to Whitefoord.org, United Way of Greater Atlanta, and LEAD Atlanta.

She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and a graduate of the LEAD Atlanta Class of 2015. In recognition of her leadership, Candice was named one of Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 in 2021 and selected as part of PRovoke Media’s Innovator 25 class of 2022.

Matt Velez

Matt Velez is responsible for cultivating and managing relationships with national corporate partners, industry affiliates, and curriculum developers to support NPower’s advanced training programs. His work highlights the importance of fostering varied perspectives, fairness, belonging, corporate social responsibility, employee engagement, upskilling non-traditional talent, and providing sponsorships to support communities pursuing careers in tech that often lack visibility.

Matt came to NPower as a Cybersecurity Instructor at our Brooklyn headquarters in 2015 and later developed strategic partnerships with major corporations to secure internships, job opportunities, volunteers, mentors, pro-bono work, and funding across the NPower network. 

Today as Executive Director of the National Instructors Institute, Matt oversees the Advancing Tech Careers Collaborative that gives NPower alumni direct access to free advanced trainings and certifications in cybersecurity, cloud computing, and other technologies that lead to high-paying tech careers.  He is also facilitating the design and implementation of our national Community Help Desk initiative that provides direct tech support to local communities by NPower trainees who live in these communities.    

Prior to NPower, Matt served as the Director of Information Technology for the United Way of New York City.  He has over twenty-five years of experience in the non-profit sector as a technology professional, project manager, and certified life coach.  Matt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Management from Nyack College and he is passionate about developing partnerships that commit to creating pathways to economic prosperity for underserved communities.