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Mentors

Leadership & Industry Mentors

Experienced professionals from data centers, telecom, enterprise IT, and aerospace bringing real-world standards to every lab.

Become a Mentor

Industry Mentors & Instructors

Our instructors teach the skills they use every day on the job.

Portrait of Chris Ballat

Chris Ballat

Hardware & Infrastructure Lead

Enterprise Data Center Services (DCS) L2 Technician with 8+ years of infrastructure experience.

Portrait of Abdul Kokayi

Abdul Kokayi

Telecom & Wireless Instructor

Telecommunications Engineer with 7+ years of wireless and RF experience at T-Mobile.

Portrait of Frank Sanou

Frank Sanou

Server & Enterprise Lead

Bilingual (English/French) engineer with 10+ years of experience and former Microsoft technical engineering team leader.

Portrait of Debonair Wilson

Debonair Wilson

Career & Corporate Coach

Electronics/RF Engineer with 10+ years of experience in Communication & Navigation systems at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company.

Program Leadership

Portrait of Tracey Keyser

Tracey Keyser

Director of Grants & Engagement

20+ years of regional community outreach and state-level grant management experience.

Portrait of Ivory James

Ivory James

Director of Curriculum & Analytics

Dual Master's in Education; specializes in adaptive instructional design and KPI metrics.

Volunteer

Become a Mentor

Help the next generation of North Texas technicians launch their careers. We welcome volunteers from IT, data center operations, networking, cybersecurity, telecom, and engineering.

  • Lead or assist hands-on hardware and networking labs
  • Share your career story as a guest speaker
  • Conduct mock interviews and resume reviews
  • Host a data center or workplace tour
  • Donate decommissioned enterprise equipment

Mentor Inquiry

Tell us about yourself and we will be in touch.

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Get Involved

Whether you are a future technician, a donor, or an industry professional, there is a place for you at Hearts and Hardware.

Join the January 2027 Cohort

Applications are due November 30, 2026, and classes begin January 2027 at the George W. Hawkes Downtown Library. No prior IT experience required.

Apply for Cohort

Fund a Student's Future

Your tax-deductible gift covers certification exam vouchers, lab hardware, and career coaching for students at zero cost to them.

Donate / Support Us

Share Your Expertise

IT, data center, telecom, and engineering professionals can volunteer as lab mentors, guest speakers, or mock interviewers.

Become a Mentor