Okta for Good: Co-Founders Connect with Genesys Works

Okta has taken its mission of “securing connections between people and technology” to the next level by connecting highly motivated, underserved youth to meaningful tech internships in their San Francisco headquarters since 2014. And earlier this week, they took it one step further by connecting students from youth workforce develop non-profits Genesys Works and YearUp to the people behind the company’s success — the co-founders of the newly public company.

As part of the launch of Okta for Good, the company is hosting a week of career workshops for local youth-focused organizations that mark the first company-wide volunteer effort. At yesterday’s event, CEO Todd McKinnon and COO Frederic Kerrest, Okta’s co-founders, gave an exclusive Q&A session to 30 young people looking to break into tech careers.

They shared lessons from their own career paths, Okta’s founding story, and what it’s like to be a young entrepreneur starting a business. “Leaders and people you admire are no different than you. Have confidence in your ability to make an impact,” they shared, advising the young people in the room to follow their passions. “Give people a vision they can coalesce around.”

Then the young professionals got an inside look at a day-in-the-life at Okta, and even got a personal branding lesson from Okta CMO, Ryan Carlson who told them to use their experiences as young people to make their personal brand story unique. “Don’t let your lack of experience hold you back,” he said.

For young people of color who too often perceive that careers at companies like Okta are out of reach, the event was especially impactful. Jinny, senior at George Washington High School, thanked the company for hosting the event: “I know that not a lot of high schoolers get this kind of exposure. As a high school student about to graduate in a week, this opportunity to look at different careers is so valuable.”

Okta for Good’s new Executive Director, Erin Baudo Felter, says that this is just the start of Okta’s community engagement. She said to the young professionals, “The partnership goes both ways. We hope to deliver something of value to you, and you being here and allowing us to be part of your personal journey means a lot to us.”

Last year, Okta took the 1% Pledge, committing 1% of their time, product, and equity to give back to the community. They are also part of SFGives, Tipping Point Community’s corporate challenge that is bringing together local businesses to fight poverty in the San Francisco Bay Area. This year, in addition to expanding their community outreach efforts, Okta will continue to host Genesys Works interns and give young people the chance to secure connections to skills and opportunity that will help them succeed.