Keyboards clatter, screens glow, and laughter spills through the air as kids bring their ideas to 
life, one line of code at a time. A few parents linger at the edges of the room, captivated by the magic of it all. In the middle of the buzz stands Mina Rama, the driving force behind Code Ninjas Bakersfield, where she’s turning curiosity into creativity and showing the next generation that technology isn’t intimidating. It’s exhilarating. This Seven Oaks resident is a woman on a mission to make technology fun, empowering, and accessible to every child in her community. 

 

“We were born and built in this community and after spending a few years away we knew we would eventually come back,” says Mina, who lives with her family in Belcourt, Seven Oaks. 

“It’s a phenomenal community. I’m fascinated by how many people here are transplants to Bakersfield, yet everyone seems to find a way to make it feel like home.” For Mina, her husband Neeraj Rama, and their children Nyah (6) and Darsh (4), Bakersfield has become exactly that. 

“We’ve built friendships here that feel like family,” she adds. “This is where our kids can play, grow, and appreciate the sense of community.” 

 
Before she was helping kids unlock their inner innovators, Mina was climbing the corporate ladder in the oil and gas industry. Raised in Arvin, California, Mina's academic journey led her to California State University, Bakersfield, followed by a distinguished tenure spanning over a decade at Chevron, where she honed her expertise in navigating complex global supply chains. Yet, as she and her husband, Neeraj, approached a new chapter to grow their family, they made the deliberate choice to return to Bakersfield, reconnecting with their roots and recalibrating their priorities. “One's aspirations evolve in concert with life's transitions,” Mina reflects. Mina contemplated the ecosystem she wished to cultivate for their children. “Technology is integrated in our lives so I wanted an incubator where young minds could delve into computational thinking and problem-solving, while having a blast.” Mina's vision underscores a broader imperative: building the immunity in the community and providing the apparatus needed for the future.
 
That inspiration became Code Ninjas Bakersfield, which opened its doors in November 2024. Now, after the business celebrated its one-year anniversary on November 4, Mina is more focused than ever on her purpose to provide opportunities and access to young children. Code Ninjas Bakersfield allows kids to be creative while building valuable skills.  

 

At Code Ninjas, kids ages 5 to 14 embark on a learning adventure disguised as play. The Junior program introduces little learners to hands on STEM activities, while older students dive into a structured coding curriculum, creating a video game as they master logic, sequencing, a coding language and more!  

 

“We use a belt system, like martial arts,” Mina explains. “As kids progress, they move from block-based coding to text-based languages like JavaScript and C#. It’s amazing to watch their confidence grow as they level up. Our senseis are incredibly talented. With every special moment unlocked with our ninjas, stood a sensei who was devoted to their success.” The center’s offerings continue to expand, now including robotics and a brand-new AI curriculum. This is the new literacy on the horizon. 

 

“We work, play, and do a ton of chauffeuring around,” Mina laughs. “Our love language as a family is traveling, music and tennis.” Outside of Code Ninjas, Mina also works at California Resource Corporation. 

 

Her husband, Neeraj, works as a Chief Investment Officer and business development professional in agriculture, technology, and healthcare, “marrying capital with companies,” as Mina describes. He also serves as an adjunct professor at CSUB. 
 

As Mina looks around her bustling learning center, she knows she’s exactly where she’s meant to be. “Bakersfield has always supported us,” she says. Now she’s making an impact on the next generation, the difference makers and innovators of tomorrow. It doesn’t get any more purposeful than that.