Jacob Martinez

Jacob Martinez is the founder and CEO of Digital NEST—a technology workforce development hub providing youth in Watsonville, Salinas, Gilroy, Modesto and soon Stockton with high-demand technology skills, mentoring and hands-on experience so they can secure well-paying jobs. By training youth in the technology and soft skills businesses demand, Digital NEST is empowering them to chart their future careers. Prior, he spent nearly ten years running a successful program encouraging underrepresented Latinx students to study computer science. He is a 2020 recipient of The James Irvine Foundation “Leadership Award” and is on the advisory council for the Aspen Institute Technology Accountability Coalition, which works to ensure diversity of all kinds exists in technology.