As the Vice President of Bitwise Buffalo, CJ Banks oversees the operations and community development of our first Bitwise Industries campus on the East Coast. CJ Banks is a native of the Bronx and relocated to Buffalo eighteen years ago. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in early childhood development, a graduate certificate in mental health counseling, and is a certified instructor of Youth Mental Health First Aid—focused on training adults to assist youth in crisis. In CJ’s latest professional role, he served as the Director of Parenting and Youth Services at EPIC–Every Person Influences Children. Previous leadership roles included VP of Development and Communications for the Buffalo Urban League and prior to working in the nonprofit world, CJ worked in management in the retail industry.

In addition to his nonprofit and corporate experience, CJ Banks is an entrepreneur, having created and managed three successful companies including a marketing solutions enterprise, graphic/web design, and photography. Utilizing his experience in the music industry, CJ also built a recording studio in Buffalo. The purpose of this studio is to provide a safe, drug-free, and positive place for youth to record and cultivate their musical talent while learning life skills and key transferable workforce skills. CJ is a proud husband and father of eight children—five biological, two adopted through foster care, and a current foster father of one.