Johan Hammerstrom’s focus and expertise are in nonprofit IT leadership, governance practices, and nonprofit IT strategy. In addition to deep experience supporting hundreds of nonprofit clients for over 20 years, Johan has a technical background as a computer engineer and a strong servant-leadership style as the head of an employee-owned small service business. After advising and strategizing with nonprofit clients over the years, he has gained a wealth of insight into the budget and decision-making culture at nonprofits – a culture that enables creative IT management but can place constraints on strategies and implementation.
As CEO, Johan provides high-level direction and leadership in client partnerships. He also guides Community IT’s relationship to its Board and ESOP employee-owners. Johan is also instrumental in building a Community IT value of giving back to the sector by sharing resources and knowledge through free website materials, monthly webinars, and external speaking engagements.
Johan has always been interested in using technology as a force to address pressing and immediate problems through the nonprofit sector. Working directly with nonprofit organizations to help them use technology to accomplish their missions has been one of the most positive and rewarding experiences of his life.
Johan started at Community IT as a Network Administrator. Since that time, he has been a Network Engineer, a Team Lead, the Director of Services, Vice President of Services, Chief Operating Officer, President, and beginning in 2020, CEO.
Johan graduated with Honors and a BS in Chemistry from Stanford University and received a master’s degree in Biophysics from Johns Hopkins University.
Available for speaking engagements
Johan Hammerstrom is a frequent speaker at NTEN events and Community IT’s monthly webinar series. He has presented webinars for Your Part Time Controller (YPTC), Nonprofit Hub, and Nonprofit Learning Lab, among other partners. His areas of expertise include nonprofit management, IT budgeting, IT strategic planning for nonprofits, and technology management.
To schedule Johan to address your association or appear as a guest on your podcast, contact us using the form below.
“We’re often asked, ‘Do you have any recommendations for non-techie people to evaluate proposals and candidates for tech positions?’
This is something we feel very strongly about at Community IT. Anyone who’s delivering IT as a service has to be able to explain it in terms that the average business manager, nonprofit manager, or leader can understand.
If you get a proposal you don’t understand, go back and ask them to explain it to you. If they can’t, you probably don’t want to work with them.
Always ask questions. If you’re not getting the answers that satisfy you, that’s not your problem, that’s their problem. You need to find a new provider to talk to.
We’ve worked with hundreds of nonprofits. Most of the nonprofits we work with have no tech background and at the end of the day, it’s their decision to make about technology and it’s our job to empower them to make that decision effectively.”
– Johan Hammerstrom
CTO Matthew Eshleman, Director of IT Consulting Steve Longenecker, and IT Business Manager Team Lead Norwin Herrera hold a lively and specific discussion of all things nonprofit tech for 2025 and beyond. January 22 at 3pm Eastern, Noon Pacific.
Fill out the form below to request a quote. We’ll be in touch shortly to discuss your needs and take the first step toward better nonprofit IT.