Helen Kogan is the Executive Director of New York and New Jersey (Metro) regions at NPower. She joined NPower in 2014, working her way towards increased responsibilities as Program Director of the Brooklyn site, then as Executive Director of NPower New York and adding Executive Director New Jersey responsibilities to her portfolio in 2020.  She believes that NPower serves as a strong connector between untapped talent that needs the right training and opportunity to thrive and industry that is looking for a diverse, tech talent pipeline. As Executive Director, Helen oversees strategic partnerships, advocacy, development, and high-level program administration.

Before NPower, Helen honed her workforce development skills as Director of Career Services at three colleges in New York. At these schools, her passion for helping young adults navigate their careers blossomed into a life-long ambition.

Chris Starling is the Assistant Vice President of Skillbridge. Prior to joining NPower in 2019, Chris worked at Vets in Tech and at the Marines’ Memorial Association in San Francisco.   Chris is a US Marine Corps veteran with over 26 years of active duty.  He completed ten overseas deployments including three combat tours in the Middle East.  Command assignments included Kilo Company 3/3 in Kaneohe Bay, HI, Second Battalion, Second Marines in Camp Lejeune NC, and the 23d Marines in San Bruno CA.  Chris’s staff assignments were varied and included instructor duty at the US Military Academy, West Point, NY, an operations planner at Joint Task Force 5 in Alameda, CA, and as the Partnership Division Chief of US Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany.   

José Reyes serves as the Executive Director of NPower Michigan. He is responsible for leading NPower’s strategic direction, overseeing its administrative management, and directing collaborative partnerships within the region. 

Throughout his career José has worked at the nexus of education, government, non-profits, and the private sector creating collective impact strategies to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities. 

Before joining NPower, Reyes served as Deputy Director of Detroit’s Workforce Development Department where he led the transition of the city’s department into one of the largest and best performing nonprofits in Michigan. He was the co-architect of Detroit Employment Solutions Corp (DESC), the programmatic and fiscal agent of the City of Detroit workforce board. Reyes has also been nationally recognized for his expertise on workforce development, particularly the White House recognized TechHire initiative that provided IT training to people in Detroit and others from around the region. Most recently, José served as the Director of Workforce & Community Development for Washtenaw Community College, where he was instrumental in developing Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) strategies among growing and emerging sectors of IT and Healthcare. 

José is a graduate of the University of Michigan and holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Social Work. He is a Board of Governors Emeritus for the School of Social Work. José also attended the University of Detroit’s law school. He is a life-long Michigander, born and raised in Detroit. In addition to his professional endeavors, José is active in the community and continues his involvement with groups that promote strong communities and enrichment opportunities for children and families.

Ben Kesler is the Executive Director of NPower Missouri based in the St. Louis metro region and proudly serving more than 400 alumni.

Ben has 15 years of experience in the higher education and non-profit space, with the last 7 years focused on workforce development. Prior to being named the Executive Director, Ben served as both the Program and Placement Director at NPower Missouri – where he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Tech Fundamental program, while simultaneously providing the strategic framework for internship, apprenticeship, and full-time hire success for their numerous alumni. Ben is committed to providing access to high-wage careers for all learners from all socioeconomic backgrounds and creating opportunities for those from non-traditional education paths. In addition to his bachelor’s degree, Ben earned a graduate certificate from the University of Missouri in Nonprofit Management.

Before joining NPower, Ben was the Director of Career Services at recording artist, Nelly’s music production school (EI by Nelly) in downtown St. Louis. Ben has a record of success in the music industry, himself, working with ten GRAMMY-winning artists in the roles of either audio engineer or guitarist. He is also a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (GRAMMYs) and an adjunct professor at Webster University School of Communication’s audio department. Additionally, he is a board member for the St. Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective and an advisory board member for Maryville University’s College of Computer Sciences.

Ben resides in St. Louis with his wife and two children. You can find him around town eating at all the best restaurants and watching his kids participate in soccer and competitive dance.

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 29^th and 67^th 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, 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 is a nonprofit leader and social issue-activist, having dedicated more than 15 years to supporting local, national, and international organizations. Her work has centered on community building, health equity, human trafficking, gender equity, and other initiatives focused on empowering women and girls. As the Executive Director for NPower’s Command Shift, a national consortium of Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, allies, and other organizations, Candice has been instrumental in driving change across public and private sectors to advance young women of color in tech careers, helping them achieve economic equity and equality through tech jobs. Candice has raised more than $20 million through work for local and national nonprofits. ​
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Candice is a committed community leader, having volunteered for Whitefoord.org, United Way of Greater Atlanta, and LEAD Atlanta. She is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the LEAD Atlanta Class of 2015. In 2021, Candice was recognized as one of Atlanta’s 40 under 40 by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She is also a member of the 2022 PRovoke Media Innovator 25 class.​