NSBE - Convention 2020 - 63

2019 PROFESSIONALS CHAPTER OF THE YEAR

NSBE Boston Receives
30th Birthday Honors

BY KEVIN M. BRISCOE

he last few years have been a flurry of accomplishments by the NSBE Professionals
chapter in Boston: increased membership,
inclusion on Massachusetts Gov. Charlie
Baker's Black Advisory Commission, citations from state and local officials acknowledging
NSBE Boston's 30 years of service, STEM-related
initiatives with the Boston Public Schools, and stronger partnerships with corporate stakeholders and
local collegiate chapters.
The chapter's commitment to advancing NSBE's
mission across the region led to its selection as the
2019 Professionals Chapter of the Year. The award
was announced last March at NSBE's 45th Annual
Convention, in Detroit.
"Since (my) joining NSBE Boston Professionals'
Executive Board in 2015 as the chapter secretary
and then president in 2018, these were all goals
that we had aspired to and worked hard toward.
And so to see them come to fruition over the years
was phenomenal," says 2018-20 Chapter President
Ladi Olaoye, an IT project manager and diversity
consultant. "Our chapter's trip to Detroit in 2019
was an exciting moment for us as a chapter, as we
not only celebrated our 30th anniversary but...
had more than two dozen active professional members present in Detroit for the (Technical Professionals) Conference and
also provided travel support for 16 high school students from
Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Boston. To be in a room filled
with thousands of dedicated Black engineering students and
professionals cheering when our chapter name was called was
beyond amazing."
Not an organization to rest on its laurels, NSBE Boston is
continuing to build on its past and present accomplishments.
"We want to grow the NSBE Boston brand by being the premier Black tech group in Boston, reaching out to fresh grads to
(fill) the talent pipeline, building on our relationships with our
corporate sponsors and building on the programs we currently
offer for professional, collegiate and pre-college members," says
Seun Oluwole, 2018-20 chapter vice president.
With an eye to the past chapter successes, Oluwole, a product
and quality assurance leader for Carrier's Fire and Security
Division, adds: "(Winning the award) made me appreciative
that we were recognized. But it made me acknowledge that
solid programs aren't built in two years but (rather) as a result
of years of effort put forth by previous boards to execute the
programs we offer to the members."
Chiderah Okoye-Nordee served as the 2016-18 NSBE
Boston president and played a significant role in charting
the chapter's course to its current status as the Professionals
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Chapter of the Year. She cites the chapter's relationships with
stakeholders who have a vested interest in providing STEMrelated opportunities.
"The chapter has had a consistent commitment to integrate with the public, private and nonprofit sectors to have
a sustained impact on education and economic outcomes for
every Black person in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,"
says Okoye-Nordee. "Our members are constantly speaking in
schools, working closely with city and state officials and convening leaders (across multiple industries) to exchange diversity
and inclusion best practices. I don't know that I'm aware of a
more active chapter."
Okoye-Nordee, who was pregnant with her now eight-monthold son, was not able to attend the Detroit convention. But she
says she was moved to tears as she learned of NSBE Boston's
selection as Chapter of the Year.
"The backdrop of the chapter celebrating 30 years of impact
with our founding Chapter President Keith Clinkscales present to see the seed he planted come full circle was incredibly
meaningful to me, as a person (who) has benefitted from and
contributed to the chapter," she says. "The award was well-deserved, but it was that full circle that meant so much more." ■
Kevin M. Briscoe is a writer based in St. Augustine, Florida, and
a former editor of NSBE Magazine.
* CAREER ENGINEER * CONVENTION 2020 * 63

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