Dr. Demarus Crawford White | From Burden to Breakthrough

Dr. Demarus Crawford White is guided by a simple conviction: opportunity should never be determined by circumstance. When she joined Npower Ohio, she found not just a leadership role but a mission to expand access to education and career pathways for people often overlooked in the technology sector. 

As executive director of the technology training nonprofit, she has emerged as one of Ohio’s most vocal champions for equity, workforce readiness, and the belief that success is attainable when people are given the tools to pursue it. 

“Npower is a national nonprofit that started in Brooklyn about twenty-five years ago,” Crawford White said. “It teaches young adults and military connected families about technology, helps them earn industry certifications, and provides wraparound services so they can actually complete the program.” 

The organization’s expansion into Ohio began when the City of Dayton’s chief information officer contacted Npower’s national leadership and advocated for bringing its model to the region. Crawford White stepped in to make that vision real. 

“We started in Dayton, but we have had students from across the state,” she said. “Our goal is to create a hub and spoke model with Dayton at the center and smaller sites in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Cleveland.” 

Her commitment is rooted in personal experience. After more than twenty years working in higher education, most of it in financial aid, she witnessed the long-term impact of student loan debt on families. She felt it in her own life as well. 

“I tried to counsel students about not taking out loans, but for most families, that is the only option,” she said. “I have a lot of education and a lot of debt myself. I hated it, and I did not want anyone else to be in that situation.” 

Npower’s model removes those barriers. Students receive free laptops, internet hotspots, transportation assistance, and even professional clothing for interviews. “We think three hundred sixty about what someone needs to finish and be successful,” she said. 

The outcomes have been transformative. The average participant enters the program, making about eleven thousand dollars a year. Within a year of completing Npower’s training, nearly seventy percent secure jobs in technology or technology adjacent fields, many earning close to forty-eight thousand dollars. All of it happens without the burden of student loan debt. 

For Crawford White, those results underscore the power of incremental progress. “It is a small step,” she said. “Completing a twenty week program or earning one certification can change the path of your life. Those small wins lead to big change for you, your family, and your community.” 

One of her favorite examples involves her own son, who joined Npower’s first Dayton cohort after leaving college during the pandemic. “He finished the program, got a tech job, and now he is buying a home,” she said. “He does not borrow money from me anymore, and he loves what he does.” 

Her dedication extends beyond Npower. She serves on the boards of the Dayton Metro Library Foundation, WYSO, and the Dayton Art Institute. “All three offer free access to learning, culture, and opportunity,” she said. “They reflect my personal belief in access and equality.” 

Her leadership philosophy is rooted in empathy, authenticity, and what she calls choosing joy. “Happiness is a choice,” she said. “Even in the toughest situations, you can choose how you view the moment. I always ask myself what I can learn from this.” 

Crawford White has been recognized as a 2025 WIBN Woman to Watch and is a Leadership Ohio fellow, honors she receives with gratitude. “When people see my name connected to Npower, it helps them trust that this is something real. We are changing lives.” 

She hopes to expand Npower’s statewide reach and equip even more Ohioans with the skills to thrive. “Every time a student tells me they got a job or bought their first home, I know we are changing the trajectory of families,” she said. “That is the legacy I want to leave. Opening doors so people can walk through them and build better lives.”