Francis Johnson, a 2007 alumnus of Eastern Mennonite University and the Washington Community Scholars’ Center program, has been named a Nonprofit Technology Fellow for the Okta for Good Nonprofit Technology Initiative.
The inaugural fellowship program, which received 340 applications from across the globe, selected Johnson as one of eight recipients for a $25,000 grant to advance Tech for Good thought leadership throughout the six-month program. The initiative aims to amplify the voices of leaders across the nonprofit sector advocating for a movement toward better use and implementation of technology.
Johnson is the managing director of technology services at Tech Impact, a 501(c)(3) that offers technology services to nonprofit organizations. The company has offices in Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Wilmington, Delaware, and Las Vegas, Nevada. Johnson first connected with the company while in the university’s Washington Community Scholars’ Center. Program participants spend a semester in the nation’s capital, taking courses in urban studies and working in an internship within their future professional field. Johnson interned with Tech Impact and returned after graduation to a full-time position. The company has continued to host WCSC students as interns.
Victor Cordon, senior program manager, philanthropy at Okta, called Johnson “ a proven thought leader who is building the future of technology, innovation, and social impact … We are excited for Francis to further our understanding in his area of focus—protecting critical data and vulnerable identities that nonprofits hold.”
Johnson has more than 14 years of nonprofit experience and is passionate about helping nonprofits build their technology and operational capacity to serve more constituents and communities efficiently and securely.
“I’m honored to be named a Nonprofit Technology Fellow by Okta for Good,” Johnson said. “There is a huge need in the nonprofit sector for cybersecurity support and education. Tech Impact’s goal is to help nonprofits thrive and in order for them to thrive, they must prioritize cybersecurity. I’m grateful to the Okta team for providing additional resources to help us increase capacity and help nonprofits implement proper cybersecurity measures.”
Okta for Good also named Tech Impact a grantee for its Ecosystems and Capacity Building grant stream, supporting the company’s work providing wraparound technology services to nonprofit organizations without in-house technology expertise, with a focus on cybersecurity for nonprofits.