About Us

Seneca Foundation creates deliberate, early on-ramps into the tech industry for Black and Latinx recent high school graduates via our paid software development training program and internships with a Seneca Partner Company.

We were born of the belief that careers in software development provide the highest likelihood of economic mobility, career advancement, financial security, and civic leadership. Under the current system, a young adult must wait 4 years and amass $40,000+ in college debt before they can start earning income and working in the software development field.

We believe there’s another way.

As a Chicago-based initiative, we know there is incredible, diverse, untapped technical talent and potential in the 25,000 students that graduate each year from the Chicagoland school system. We are dedicated to creating a smooth pathway for these young adults into a fulfilling tech career (sooner, rather than later), and to relentlessly working toward a more equitable and inclusive technical workforce.

Our Team

Wa-jiw Casey

Engineering Program Manager
Pronouns: he/him
Wa-jiw, a graduate of Michigan State University, brings over 18 years of software engineering experience to Seneca Foundation. He is a very passionate computer hardware and full-stack software designer/developer with experience that ranges from modern web development to assembly programming. Wa-jiw’s specialties include: Open Source Full-Stack Web Development, Linux Server Administration, Modern Javascript/CSS Library Development, CMS Development, and Database Design. When Wa-jiw is not working, he enjoys spending time with his family and playing board games.
EMAIL | LINKEDIN
C. Nell Crittenden, AM, LSW

Postsecondary Success Manager
Pronouns: she/her
Nell is a macro-level social worker, who brings 10+ years of experience in leading efforts to support Black and Latine/x/o/a/students from historically marginalized backgrounds in navigating and succeeding in higher education. Grounded in anti-oppressive frameworks and intersectional praxis, Nell strives to bring an equity-centered & educational-justice approach to student success spaces via systems-level change (macro) and clinical modalities informed by the field of anti-oppressive social work. With expertise in higher education policy, individualized coaching, trauma-informed practice, and program development, Nell brings a blend of policy insight, clinical training, and grassroots commitment to advancing educational equity.
Nell earned her Master’s degree in Social Work Policy and Administration from the University of Chicago, Crown Family School, and is a licensed social worker in the state of Illinois. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Theory and Sociology (majors) as well as in Ethnic Studies and Women and Gender Studies (minors) from Willamette University. In addition to her work at Seneca, Nell is adjunct faculty at the Crown Family School and is a research consultant role at the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health.
In her free time, Nell enjoys making gluten-free snacks, re-watching How to Get Away With Murder, and all things purple.
EMAIL | LINKEDIN