Our Alexandria, VA Team

As the owner of NerdsToGo - Alexandria, VA, I lead an award-winning team that stands out in the IT industry for its commitment to excellence. Our brand has received high acclaim, including being named one of Entrepreneur Magazine's Top New Franchises in 2020 and appearing in Franchise Gator's Top 100 Franchises for 2021, in addition to earning the Franchise Business Review's 2021 Franchisee Satisfaction Award. These accolades affirm our dedication to delivering comprehensive IT solutions and services to both residential and commercial clients.

Under my stewardship, NerdsToGo - Alexandria, VA has emerged as the most decorated location in our network since 2021, marking a significant achievement as the first and only NerdsToGo location to eclipse the $1M revenue milestone. This accomplishment highlights our team's exceptional service and our effective strategy in exceeding customer expectations.

Our presence in the Alexandria community is bolstered by numerous awards, including the Rising Star of the Year from The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and several honors at the Inaugural 2022 NerdsToGo Convention, such as The Rookie Award and The President's Award, recognizing our leading sales performance.

I champion the proactive managed services model, which prioritizes preventative measures in IT support to mitigate potential disruptions before they impact operations. This approach enables small and medium-sized businesses to focus on their primary goals, secure in the knowledge that their technology infrastructure is in capable hands.
 

Beyond my professional commitments, I am actively involved in my community, enjoying time with my family, cycling, exercising, and participating in local events. My ambition is to drive excellence within the IT industry and to have a lasting positive effect on the community and individuals I serve. 

For more insights into our work and achievements, I invite you to explore our feature in "40 Under 40 Equals 42.

Austin McKelphin is a Nerd Technician at NerdsToGo of Alexandria. Before coming to NerdsToGo, Austin was an IT Specialist Assistant with Autochlor as well as a Sales Representative with BestBuy.

He became interested in technology as a child, and he later earned a Bachelors degree in Game and Simulation Development from Albright College. He came to NerdsToGo through the recommendation of a fellow technician.

Austin loves solving challenges, educating people on technology, and helping them function more efficiently in their daily lives. When he isn’t doing that, he enjoys video games, anime, learning about the newest things in technology and having new culinary experiences.

Greg Barnhart is the Technology Expert/Lead Nerd at NerdsToGo of Alexandria. Greg has an extensive technology background and has worked in IT services, serving non-profits and associations, single support role for a non-profit, IT Manager for a broker dealer, IT Manager for a government contractor, specializing in Health IT contracts, IT Administrator for a government contractor, specializing in delivering technology services and solutions to government organizations, educational institutions, and commercial companies.

He has a Bachelor of Science from Frostburg State University in Computer Science & Mathematics and a Masters from UMUC (now called UMGC) in Information Assurance

Other Certifications Include:

CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+ CE, 2022

A+, 2009

Network+, 2014

Security+, 2019

In the 80s and 90s, Greg’s dad worked for Hughes and would often bring projects home that he would also play with. His first computer was a Leading Edge Model D, and he learned how to use the text editor to make school papers, as well as installing and playing games on it.

Greg gives back in his community in many ways. He works with Montgomery County Parks to remove nonnative invasive (NNIs) plants from county and local parks through their Weed Warriors program. He is also currently getting certified to host cleanups. In addition, he volunteers with Friends of Sligo Creek. Other organizations that are an integral part of Greg’s life include Boy Scouts of America (Eagle Scout) and Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity.

In his downtime, Greg spends his time running and trail running, tackling video games, doing yoga and pilates, and spending time with his family and taking his son to enjoy outdoor spaces.

Christian Nieves is a Technology Expert at NerdsToGo of Alexandria. With a background of 15 years as an IT Consultant and a B.S. in Electronic Engineering, Christian is skilled in this role.

Christian has also achieved A+ certifications in Network+ and Security and is currently studying for the ethical hacker certification. As a child, Christian was eager to dismantle everything with a screwdriver and by seventh grade, Christian built his first computer (after the family PC multiple times).

Christian is passionate about helping others which he is able to do regularly through his role at NerdsToGo. In his downtime, Christian enjoys exercising and learning new hands-on hobbies.

Thomas Morton is the Operations Manager at NerdsToGo of Alexandria. Thomas brings over eight years experience in operations working with both Home Depot and Target. Also an Adjunct Professor for over five years, he has taught IT and Computer Science classes at the graduate and undergraduate level.

Thomas attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and his Master of Science in Computer Science Information Assurance with a certificate in Secure Software Engineering.

“I have been interested in tech all my life; growing up I was always interested in how computers work,” shared Thomas. “I landed at NerdsToGo after seeing a job posting looking for an operations manager. The position fit my experience and passion, and I have been able to accomplish great things as an operations manager who streamlines processes, corrects behavior and looks for ways to increase profit by focusing on efficiencies.”

Thomas has always felt a great sense of accomplishment in helping people and businesses reach their full potential. Through helping others, he experiences the rewarding feeling of solving problems, having teachable moments, and offering takeaways that help people solve similar issues when they arise.

In addition to his work with NerdsToGo, Thomas is an active member of Leadership Alexandria, and in his downtime, he enjoys cooking, painting, cycling and working out.

Julio Lacayo is a Technology Expert (Lead Nerd) - Tier II at NerdsToGo in Alexandria, VA. As a seasoned IT professional with over 20 years of experience managing IT departments for firms in the DC area, Julio brings his expertise into NerdsToGo clients' dynamic environments, ensuring the successful development and implementation of robust, resilient and forward-thinking IT projects.As a Certified A+ and Network+ Engineer, Julio is passionate about helping clients find the right technological solutions for their needs. Interestingly enough, he began his career in IT while working in finance. As a Finance Officer, he developed technological solutions that made his team more efficient and effective in their work. Julio found that he enjoyed finding technological solutions to business problems. Seeing how the right technology could enhance and improve work, he made a career change and began working in the IT field for many firms in the DC area.

When he isn’t helping clients to further their home and business technology solutions, Julio enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. He has served in his community as a baseball and lacrosse coach for Alexandria youth teams. In addition, as a self-proclaimed cinephile, he enjoys regular trips to the movies to see a variety of films, from indie and international films to large Hollywood blockbusters. His favorite movie is “The Godfather.”