Jessie and Erin revealed the critical importance of understanding the significance of the BEAD program, even if one is not directly engaged in its implementation. The next Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate cohort starts January 29, 2024 and enrollment is now open. 

Erin Lorandos, Digital Equity Program Manager for the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), credits her interdisciplinary broadband infrastructure skills to the Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate (DILC) program.

Meanwhile, Jessie Hawthorn, Digital Navigator Program Administrator at the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), played a pivotal role in shaping Colorado’s Digital Access Plan.

This interview provides insights into two Digital Inclusion Leadership Certificate graduate experiences. Learn more about their approaches to digital equity within their respective roles and how their newfound knowledge is accelerating their impact…

What motivated you to enroll in the Certificate program?  What challenges were you trying to solve?

Erin Lorandos: I enrolled in the certificate program after moving from public library work into the digital equity space. While my nearly 20 years of experience in public and academic libraries, and other informal education spaces, gave me a lot of knowledge of the practical aspects of encouraging digital literacy skill-building and community engagement, I didn’t know nearly enough about the infrastructure side. I saw the certificate program as a way to fill in those gaps.

I also wanted to add a sincere “Thank you!” to the folks at the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records for giving me the opportunity to formally move into this work, and for the support (through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funding) to complete this certificate program!

Jessie Hawthorn: I joined the CDLE Office of the Future of Work’s Digital Equity Team in March 2023.  Within a few months after I began my work as the Digital Navigator Program Administrator, I saw the opportunity to participate in this certificate program.   I talked with my manager, and she was very supportive of my participation in this program.

My primary motivation was to learn as much as I could about digital equity and inclusion since it is a new and growing field, and I am not even one year into my role on the Digital Equity Team.  Secondarily, I wanted to connect with other digital inclusion practitioners around the country. 

In what ways has the course equipped you with the skills needed to address the challenges of digital inclusion in your community or organization?

Erin Lorandos: I have greatly benefited from the high-level overview of the technologies used to actually connect people to the Internet; this didn’t factor into my work nearly at all in previous positions in libraries as my focus was more related to informal education and digital literacy training. 

I also really enjoyed hearing from communities that were different from my own, to better understand the unique challenges people across the country face. Arizona is home to more tribal lands than any other state, in addition to both large urban centers and sparsely populated rural areas. Having heard from folks who are working in the Digital Inclusion space effectively and facing similar challenges has provided me with tools and resources that I can apply here in Arizona.

Jessie Hawthorn: Investigating digital inclusion in my community using American Community Survey data revealed significant disparities. I learned about the significant differences between the “haves” in the wealthier part of Arapahoe County and the “have-nots” in the area where I live.  Household income is probably one of the top three factors that determine digital inclusion or exclusion.  In my area, the median household income was about 30 percent lower than in the southern part of the county.  The Internet service available to wealthy residents is significantly less expensive in proportion to income in those households than it is in lower-income households.  In my research, I also found that there were few organizations offering digital literacy, digital skills education, and training services in my area.   I reached out to inform them about funding opportunities like the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment program (BEAD) and Digital Equity (DE) Act in Colorado, aiming to bridge the digital divide. 

I was one of three main contributors to our state’s Digital Access Plan, which was just released on December 15, 2023, for public comment.  The information I learned through the videos, activities and other resources in the DILC Program prepared me to carefully analyze and thoughtfully synthesize the data we collected to inform the Digital Access Plan.

Can you share a specific example or two of how the course content has been directly applicable to your work in digital equity or related areas?

Erin Lorandos: I have been able to “hold my own” in conversations regarding the BEAD work in the state, and even had someone who worked for an Internet Service Provider (ISP) comment that I “must know what I’m talking about” when it came to how different technologies can work together. I credited the certificate program right there in my conversation with them!

Jessie Hawthorn:  I will add to my earlier examples that it has been important to me to engage with my state colleagues who are implementing BEAD.  They work in a different state agency, the Office of Information Technology.  My participation in this course made me much more confident in my interactions with those colleagues and in talking with the stakeholders who are interested in the DE funding.  I think it is important that everyone understands the BEAD program and the requirements to receive BEAD funding for deployment projects.

What aspects of the course content did you find most valuable, and why?

Erin Lorandos: The case studies, beyond a doubt. I loved the variety of speakers and the highlighted projects/organizations made the content fun to watch and relatable – rather than everything being theory-based. 

Jessie Hawthorn: I was a bit skeptical about the number of videos.   I was pleasantly surprised when I was about halfway through the course, and I realized that the information each speaker shared in the videos added to my understanding.  I never felt that the information was repetitive or uninteresting. I have been able to hear a couple of the speakers in person since finishing the course.  One of them who I really respect is Dr. Fallon Wilson.  She spoke at the Digital Inclusion Leadership Forum (DILF) in Dallas, TX in October.  Many of the topics and themes from the course were addressed at the DILF put on by the Federal Reserve.

How has the course influenced your approach to creating plans and managing infrastructure for digital equity, especially in light of federal and state initiatives?

Erin Lorandos: I recently moved into a new role, where I have a much more hands-on opportunity in writing and shaping the Digital Equity Plan for our state, which was released for public comment on January 2, so having a baseline understanding of the work that all our stakeholders are doing, from the smallest non-profits to the largest ISPs, is an invaluable lens from which to view the DE Planning process.

Jessie Hawthorn: It is hard to put into words how much this course directly influenced the statewide digital navigator program. I am responsible for implementing and managing strategies we devised to address the needs we uncovered through the data we collected to inform the state Digital Access Plan.  I am so glad I did this soon after starting my work in this field.  I love what I do and look forward to many more years doing this important work to give everyone opportunities to engage in our digital society.

The Marconi Society is also helping meet the growing demand in this field. Stay tuned for the launch of our Digital Equity Training, an online course built to empower leaders with the necessary skills to ensure widespread access to the advantages of broadband.