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This summer, America On Tech (AOT) brought Future Innovators Night to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Miami, and New York City, closing out a summer of student innovation, industry connection, and conversations about the Future of Work. At each stop, students took the stage to demo AI chatbots they built this summer, industry executives sat down for candid conversations about how technology is reshaping the workplace and skills the next generation will need to thrive. AOT alumni, some just months removed from the program, others years into their careers, stood up to show what's possible when technical training is paired with professional networks, mentorship and access to opportunity. Across four cities, one message was clear: preparing the future workforce takes all of us. Here's a look at how each city showed up. Los Angeles: The London West Hollywood | August 3, 2026
For seven years, AOT has helped build a pipeline of emerging technology talent in Los Angeles, and this year’s Future Innovators Night put that talent on full display. . Students and executives from companies including NBCU, Paramount Pictures, AWS, and Wells Fargo gathered for an evening of student demos and an insightful conversation about where the industry is headed. Four TECH360 students - Sofia R, Andrew S, Carlos R, and Khera B - took the stage to demo Carpe-DM, the AI chatbot they built - in just three weeks with us - that helps students in LA County get off their devices, connect with others, and engage in real life opportunities.
The Future of Work Panel, featuring Yemi Abayomi (Disney), Steve Lapinski (NBCU), and Cindy Eng (DreamWorks) and moderated by Greg Jensen (Alvarez and Marsal), gave students and guests a front-row seat to how the entertainment and media industries are thinking about AI and the future workforce. The night's Alumni Keynote from Josue C traced the pathway AOT was built to offer.
Atlanta: Retreat by TGS | August 6, 202Atlanta is one of the fastest-growing tech landscapes in the country, making it an important region for preparing the next generation of talent. Students connected with executives from Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, AWS, and more. We also heard impactful opening remarks from Fred Grigsby of Mastercard and a special video greeting from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.
Three TECH360 students - Payton A, Shaima F, and S'Vante S - demoed their summer’s work: Taste With Strength, an AI chatbot that turns a user's pantry ingredients into a healthy, personalized recipe in seconds. Built on evidence-based nutrition data from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Health Publishing, the project tackled a real problem - food waste and the barriers to eating well - with a genuinely useful solution.
The Future of Work Panel brought together Rae Williams (Google), Kim Cross (Deluxe), Mike Binns (Meta), and Kendra Brown (FactSet), moderated by Terance Clement (Comcast). Aila M, a TECH360 Fall 2025 graduate, Summer 2026 Peer Mentor, and incoming Tech Flex Leader, delivered the Alumni Keynote - a full-circle moment for a program entering its second year, and kicking off its first cohorts of the Tech Flex Leaders program.
In its very first year, Atlanta has already served 137 students across 35 high schools. Miami: Jungle Island | August 11, 2026Miami's AOT community is tight-knit and high-achieving, and Future Innovators Night at Jungle Island gave that community a moment to celebrate together. Students connected with executives from companies including HP, Blackstone, Accenture, and Kaufman Rossin for an evening centered on regional pride and real progress.
Five TECH360 students - Taylor P, Olf J, Joshia E, Hadassah B, and Nadir F - demoed NutritionBot, the AI chatbot they built together this summer to help students eat nutritious meals, regardless of dietary restrictions.
Christopher V, an incoming freshman at Florida International University and 2025-2026 Tech Flex Leader, delivered the Alumni Keynote, sharing the feats AOT already helped him achieve as he heads into his first year of college. The Future of Work Panel featured Effie D. Silva (Del Monte), Martin Stier (HP), and Dave Chapman (Blackstone), moderated by AOT Co-Founder and President Evin Robinson.
Since 2022, Miami's program has served 678 enrollments across 88 high schools. New York City: Mastercard | August 18, 2026NYC closed out the series with the largest Future Innovators Night of them all, hosted at Mastercard's New York offices.
Rising seniors Aleks G, Mariam B, Roberto M, and Yinxin L demoed FunFinder AI, a project built to help high schoolers discover activities suited to their interests - which inspired our panelists as they shared a lively conversation about the Future of Work, featuring insights from Nicole Turner (Mastercard), Maria Ponce (Key Bank), and Reuben James (NBCU), moderated by Erinn Corbett-Wright (Salesforce).
The night also spotlighted AOT's Access Tech internship pipeline. Rohan Ramnarain, Co-Founder/CTO of Pharmachute Technologies, spoke about the power - and necessity - of opening doors for the next generation. Elijah W, a rising senior at University at Albany and Summer Cybersecurity Intern at IAC, shared that he will be joining NBCU as an intern this fall. Julianne A delivered the Alumni Keynote - closing the loop on a journey that started with TECH360 in 2020 and included three separate AOT fellowships along the way.
This year's NYC cohort was the largest in program history, with 525 unique enrollments across 103 high schools during Tech Flex Leaders 2025-2026 and TECH360 2026. What This Summer Made Clear Four cities. Four evenings. One consistent story: when students are given real tools, real mentorship, and a real seat at the table, they rise to the challenge, applying their creativity, curiosity, and technical skills to real-world problems. From TECH360 chatbots solving everyday problems to alumni stepping into roles at NBCU, Accenture, and beyond, our 2026 Future Innovators Night events demonstrated what is possible when students have access to technical training, professional networks, mentorship, and career connected opportunities Thank You to Our Partners Building the future of work takes all of us. None of this happens without the corporate partners and supporters who open their doors, share their expertise, create opportunities, and invest in our students year after year. A special thank you to Mastercard, Del Monte, Accenture, Salesforce, Deluxe, and Interpret for helping bring all four Future Innovators Night events to life. We also extend deep gratitude to Google, Meta, FactSet, Comcast, HP, Blackstone, NBCU, Disney, DreamWorks, Key Bank, Alvarez and Marsal, and the dozens of additional AOT champions for investing in the next generation of tech talent.
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America On Tech Welcomes Shaown Nandi and Erica Marie Dionne to National Board of Directors7/7/2026 America On Tech (AOT), a national nonprofit preparing the next generation of technology leaders from underestimated communities, is proud to announce the appointment of two distinguished leaders to its National Board of Directors: Shaown Nandi, Vice President of Technology for AWS Global Sales at Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Erica Marie Dionne, Senior Vice President of Global Business Operations at NBCUniversal. Nandi and Dionne bring deep industry expertise, strategic leadership, and a shared commitment to expanding access to technology education and career pathways for young people.
Prior to AWS, Shaown served as Chief Information Officer at Dow Jones and Head of Shared Services at News Corp. He also spent part of his career at IBM, where he led global cloud product development teams.
A long-standing supporter of AOT, Shaown was honored at the 2025 National Innovators and Disruptors Awards for his leadership in expanding access to technology and his commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive future for the industry.
Erica Marie has been a dedicated leader within the AOT community, serving as Chair of the Los Angeles Regional Advisory Board for the past five years and as an Innovators and Disruptors Awards co-chair. Her leadership has helped strengthen AOT’s presence in Los Angeles and deepen connections across industry, community, and student networks. Dionne also sits on the CTA Content and Entertainment Council and is deeply committed to community leadership as a charter school PTO board member, a Girl Scout leader for over 40 members, and part of the Girl Scouts’ regional leadership team. Expanding Leadership for Greater ImpactAOT Co-Founders Jessica Santana and Evin Robinson shared their excitement about the appointments:
“We are thrilled to welcome Shaown and Erica Marie to America On Tech’s National Board of Directors. Their strategic insight, industry expertise, and dedication to young people will help AOT expand its reach and prepare more students for success in the innovation economy.” As AOT continues to scale its programs across the country, Shaown and Erica Marie will help guide the organization’s next chapter of growth, partnership, and student impact. About America On TechAmerica On Tech (AOT) is a national nonprofit preparing the next generation of technology leaders from underestimated communities. Since 2014, AOT has provided no-cost tech education and workforce training to students in NYC, LA, Miami, and Atlanta. AOT equips young people with in-demand skills in AI, Web Development, Data Science, and more, creating pathways to higher education and tech careers. To date, AOT has served 6,600+ students, facilitated 1,500 paid internships generating $5.4M in wages, and distributed $3.3M in stipends. AOT alumni are twice as likely to attend college and five times more likely to pursue tech degrees. When students first walk into the Tech Flex Leaders (TFL) program, they arrive with curiosity and some nerves. By the time they graduate, they’ve experienced a major shift. They're building real products, networking confidently with industry professionals, and mapping futures that felt out of reach just a year before.
This past year, America On Tech's (AOT) 2025–2026 Tech Flex Leaders program empowered 452 students across New York City, Los Angeles, and Miami with the technical skills, mentorship, and real-world experience needed to lead in the innovation economy. By the NumbersThe data tells a consistent story across all three cities. Among our program graduates:
New York City: Scale, Community, and BelongingNYC's 2025-2026 cohort was the largest in program history - 281 students from 103 high schools across the five boroughs. Sustained attendance, strong technical gains, and survey results that reflect a genuine community of trust made this one of the program's most successful cycles to date.
Every spring track boasted double-digit gains. Every student who came in curious left with concrete skills and a clearer path forward.
The survey results also reflected a community of trust. 96% of graduates said staff and mentors were positive role models. 92% felt part of a community that genuinely cared about their well-being. As one graduate put it: "Because of the safe space that this program provides, I am able to comfortably ask questions." Of NYC's 143 graduating seniors, the college outlook is striking:
Los Angeles: Heart, Hustle, and Student OwnershipLA graduated 94 students from 58 high schools - and posted some of the strongest student experience scores in the program's history.
The LA team was committed to student ownership this year. Students selected both Community Engagement events by vote, and the Analog Day scavenger hunt - themed around reconnecting in person - became one of the year's most talked-about moments. Four students attended both community events and earned inaugural Community Star Awards at TFL Graduation. This honor celebrates their commitment to building community, in class and beyond.
Of LA's graduating seniors,
Miami: Tight-Knit, High-Achieving, Built on ConnectionMiami's results display the strength of AOT’s programs! Of our 37 graduates:
Miami's team built a genuine community across virtual and in-person settings - enjoying a Jack-o-Lantern Jamboree and a Field Day Fest at Amelia Earhart Park as their community events. Graduates also boasted incredible academic gains, displaying the power of inclusivity:
AI-Ready and Future-FocusedThis year, TFL wove artificial intelligence into programming across all tracks - and graduates left with confidence and competence in this rapidly-expanding technology. Across all three cities,
The program isn't just teaching students to use AI - it's building the critical thinkers the industry actually needs to impact the future of technology. Peer Mentors: The Full-Circle EffectAOT’s commitment to students extends beyond our high school programs. 33 peer mentors across all three cities - recent AOT alumni stepping back into the program as near-peer guides - shaped the student experience and transformed their own. Every single Peer Mentor said they would return to the role.
Across all three cities, 96%+ of students viewed staff, instructors, and peer mentors as positive role models. These young mentors didn't just support the program - they were central to what made the program work for students. 367 graduates. Three cities. Hundreds of high schools. A theory of change that the data keeps proving. We couldn’t be more proud! To the Class of 2025–2026: you did that. We can't wait to see what you build next! The next cohort starts soon367 students proved this year what's possible when young people from underestimated communities are given the tools, mentorship, and belief they deserve. Help us do it again!
The future of tech is not built in boardrooms. It is built in the moments when a young person discovers what they are capable of, finds a community that believes in them, and decides to stop waiting for an invitation. In Atlanta this year, 50 students stopped waiting. They showed up, built something real, and left with a vision of their future that no one can take from them.
In AOT's inaugural year in Atlanta, the TECH360 "Intro to AI" Program graduated 50 students across two cohorts, established a replicable recruitment model, and students engaged with technologists from JPMorgan Chase, Warner Bros. Discovery, Snowflake, and Grainger. Every program graduate left with foundational AI skills, a professional network they built themselves, and the kind of confidence that extends well beyond the classroom. A Program Built for ImpactFall 2025 was the proof of concept. Spring 2026 was the proof of scale.
We launched our first Atlanta program in Fall 2025 wanting to build meaningful outcomes and greater interest for the TECH360 program. The results answered clearly. Technical assessment scores jumped 47% from pre- to post-program. Every graduate reported high satisfaction with their experience and left with a working knowledge of generative AI including its applications, strengths, risks, and limitations. Students did not just learn AI theories, they built with it. Teams developed AI-powered chatbots addressing real-world challenges, from sustainable living to travel planning. Graduates then presented their work at Atlanta's Future Innovators Night, in front of community members, families, and corporate partners. For many, this was the first time on a stage of that kind. For the second cohort, the impact was even greater. Spring enrollment grew to 34 graduates. Technical assessment scores climbed to 66% (19 points higher than the first cohort). And graduates built a lasting professional network. This second cohort also welcomed its first Peer Mentor, Christie, an AOT Miami graduate and Emory University junior studying Applied Mathematics and Neuroscience. Her presence in the classroom represented something important: proof that the program's impact compounds over time, and that AOT alumni return to invest in the students who come after them. What Students Actually Walk Away WithIn TECH360, technical skills and critical thinking aren't separate tracks; they're the same lesson. Students learn how generative AI works, how to evaluate its outputs, and how to wrestle with the ethical questions that come with using it. By graduation, they can articulate both the promise and the risk of a technology reshaping every industry they might enter.
They also leave with something harder to measure: a professional network built through real interaction with people already working in the field.
Career Days brought students face-to-face with professionals from JPMorgan Chase and Warner Bros. Discovery. The "Life of a Technologist" immersive event at JPMorgan Chase brought students face-to-face with early-career technologists who shared their backgrounds, navigated similar paths, and were invested in holding the door open for the students who came after them.
Making Waves Across AtlantaYear One Was Just the BeginningThis program is made possible through the support of national and local funders committed to expanding access to high-quality technology education. Funders of the Atlanta TECH360 program include Citi Foundation, Comcast NBCUniversal, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, New Profit, Salesforce, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Year two starts now. Be Part of What Comes Next
Allena isn't alone. This spring, America On Tech wrapped its fourth annual Tech Skills Fellowship - and this year, the program went bigger, deeper, and further than ever before. A Bolder Program for a Competitive WorldAI and a rapidly shifting hiring landscape are reshaping what it means to be a competitive early-career technologist. AOT's answer? Go deeper.
This year, we made a bold move: replacing our traditional series of shorter tracks with two intensive, year-long programs in the fields where employer demand is highest - Data Science and Cybersecurity. Twenty weeks of sustained technical training. Real, industry-recognized certifications. A professional network that grows with you. And for the first time ever, the Data Science Fellowship expanded to the West Coast, opening 25 dedicated seats for talent in Los Angeles. Impact Number:
Inside the TracksData Science
In partnership with NBCUniversal and FactSet, fellows dove deep into Python, data manipulation, visualization, and foundational machine learning through the DataCamp curriculum. Fellows also built technical portfolios, real projects, and the DataCamp Data Science Associate Certification exam. The results speak for themselves. 95% of fellows reported mastering core data science concepts. Of those who've already sat for the exam, 83% passed, with more graduates still testing as the summer rolls on.
For Allena, now applying to internships with a certification and a portfolio to back her up, the program didn't just teach her Python. It made the career feel reachable. "I am now actively applying to internships with a clearer direction, an added certification, and a readiness I did not have before. This fellowship was not just a learning experience - it was a stepping stone that made the path forward feel real and within reach." - Allena O Cybersecurity
In partnership with NBCUniversal and Blackstone, fellows learned about network architecture, threat detection, encryption, access control, and incident response - all building toward the globally recognized CompTIA Security+ Certification. Every fellow who sat for the exam reported feeling exceptionally prepared going in. The program's capstone said it all: a two-week tabletop exercise led by NBCUniversal's corporate security team, where fellows stepped into the role of security analysts responding to a live, evolving cyber threat. No hand-holding. Just the skills they'd spent a year building - applied in real time.
106 Volunteers. Real Relationships.Some of the most powerful moments in this fellowship happened because of who showed up.
106 corporate volunteers from NBCUniversal, FactSet, Blackstone, Chime, and L'Oréal led technical workshops, mock interviews, resume reviews, and candid career conversations that helped fellows connect their coursework to real career possibilities. "My favorite part was the Wednesday Volunteer Workshop sessions," said Yemaya F., LA-based Data Science Fellow. "It brought so much insight as to what different roles in the same industry look like, and I was able to create real connections with the guest speakers." Career-Ready From Day OneKnowing Python won't get you hired if you can't tell your story. That's why every fellow also completed a 10-module career readiness series, earning an Accenture Professional Development Certificate along the way, with 100% completion rate across both tracks.
Fellows worked on LinkedIn presence, resume writing, interviewing, and how to translate technical work into language that makes hiring managers pay attention. They were also grouped by school or city, so the connections they built weren't just professional contacts - they were people already sitting in the same classrooms.
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