Jacob Martinez

A photo of Jacob Martinez smiling at the camera. He's wearing a dark scally cap, glasses and a gray button down shirt.
Digital NEST
Founder

In 2014, Jacob founded Digital NEST—a technology workforce development hub providing youth in rural communities with high-demand technology skills, mentoring and hands-on experience so they can secure well-paying jobs. Prior, he spent nearly ten years running a successful program funded by the National Science Foundation, encouraging underrepresented Latina girls to study computer science. He is a 2020 recipient of The James Irvine Foundation “Leadership Award” and a 2018 Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation “Entrepreneur Fellow.” Jacob currently sits on the board of Santa Cruz Works, Center for Rural Innovation, serves as an External Advisor to the Chancellor of UC Santa Cruz,  and is on the advisory council for the Aspen Institute Technology Accountability Coalition.



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