Byte Back CEO Elizabeth Lindsey is stepping down to take on the role as CEO of Urban Alliance, a national youth workforce development nonprofit.
Byte Back is a tech inclusion nonprofit with presence across the DMV region. The nonprofit offers computer training, IT certification and career services for adults seeking careers in tech. Lindsey worked at Byte Back for five and a half years before thinking about the possibility of moving on.
“I wasn’t actively looking for something at all,” Lindsey told AfroTech in a video interview. “I’ve always wanted to run a national organization and Urban Alliance has sites in D.C., Baltimore, Chicago and Detroit. It’s quite a bit larger than Byte Back and the work that Urban Alliance does is just so close to my heart.”
Lindsey said the search firm that Urban Alliance hired reached out to her after the nonprofit’s current CEO, Eshauna Smith, recommended her for the lead role. She applied for the position and after two months of interviewing, she found out she got the job. Even throughout the interview process, Lindsey said it was never a sure thing but as time went on, she wanted the role more and more.
“It was just such a great match for what I care about and where my heart is, as well as where I want to go in my career” Lindsey said.
Lindsey is most excited to delve into her work at Urban Alliance because she is a first generation college graduate herself. Urban Alliance has long been providing skills training, internship support and helping young minority students move into their college careers.
“I am so passionate about doing this work and opening these opportunities up to the communities I most care about,” she said.
During her tenure at Byte Back, Lindsey said she’s most proud of opening up the nonprofit’s second site in Baltimore. She said she’s eager to see the tech inclusion nonprofit continue to grow into more markets moving forward. She’s also proud of securing the $775,000 grant from TD Bank back in 2018 to expand into Baltimore. Above all, building the strong team of about 20 employees is what Lindsey said she will miss the most as she moves on.
“I’m very excited and sad because I just love Byte Back,” she said. “I think Byte Back is such an incredible organization and I had a wonderful team. I’m already thinking about ways that Urban Alliance can partner with Byte Back because there are so many ways the organizations align.”
As Lindsey departs Byte Back on April 2, the company will be working with NonprofitHR to search for its next leader. She starts her new role on April 10 remaining in D.C. where Urban Alliance is also headquartered.
Check out this farewell letter from outgoing Urban Alliance CEO, Eshauna Smith.
