National Summit on State Planning for Digital Equity & Economic Inclusion

National Summit on State Planning for Digital Equity and Economic Inclusion:
Moving the Dials on Poverty

April 27 – 28, 2023
Atlanta Community Food Bank
Atlanta, Georgia

Summit Photo Gallery

Participants learned about and shared promising strategies to remove digital divide barriers of every kind and strengthen integrated pathways out of poverty for individuals, families, and communities. The assisted states to incorporate new allies and strategies into their plans and funding requests, to ensure that the $1.44 billion in federal funding over the next four years for digital equity produces significant impacts on poverty that can then be sustained.

Thursday April 27, 2023  Morning Workshop on CRA for Non-Bankers

“Georgia Interagency Workshop: Tapping Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) Support for Community Based Organizations”

A free morning workshop was held at the Atlanta Community Food Bank, organized separately from the summit, jointly by the FDIC and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, to orient non-bankers to how to develop partnerships with bank CRA compliance leaders.

Day One  Thursday, April 27, 2023

Buffet lunch

Welcoming Remarks: Kyle Waide, CEO, Atlanta Community Food Bank; and Tai Roberson, vice president, philanthropy and community impact, Wells Fargo Bank

Opening remarks, by Barry Wides, deputy comptroller, community affairs, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency

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Keynote address: “Melding Digital, Financial and Economic Inclusion: Contributions of the Community Reinvestment Ecosystem”, Louisa Quittman, Community Development Expert, Community Affairs, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, US Treasury Department

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Q & A with Louisa Quittman

Introduction of speaker by Venus Lockett, lead advisor, Bank On Georgia.  Presentation: “The Unprecedented Challenge and Opportunity of Digital Equity: Building Sustained Support Beyond Federal Funding”, by Dr. Robert McLaughlin, executive director, National Collaborative for Digital Equity

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Q & A with Louisa Quittman

“Modeling Statewide Partnership Development Among Digital, Educational and Financial Inclusion Leaders: The Georgia Inclusion Initiative”, by Oneisha Freeman, director, state digital equity planning, Georgia Technology Authority

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“Why should banking leaders care about digital equity?”, Angela Thi Bennett, digital equity program officer, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce

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Q & A with Angela Thi Bennett

Break and refreshments: networking time

Concurrent Breakout Session: Inclusion Leaders recommending ways their expertise can contribute to State plans’ impact on poverty. Key discussion question: what can you and your colleagues contribute to your state’s plan?

Breakout Room A:  Financial Inclusion Leaders: Welcoming remarks, Venus Lockett, Bank On Georgia, and Bob McLaughlin, Bank On New Hampshire.

Breakout Room B:  Economic & Educational Inclusion Leaders: Welcoming remarks by Ji Soo Song, digital equity advisor, US Department of Education; and Kurt Kiefer, Council of Chief State School Officers

Breakout Room C:  Digital Inclusion Leaders:  Welcoming remarks by Tom Finn, CEO, Avid Products, and TBD, Truist Bank, on building a sustainable ecosystem for financing and distributing free refurbished computers.

Breakout Room D:  DEI Leaders. Welcoming remarks by Jenelle Leonard, chair, ABIDE Leaders Network and director, leadership development for inclusion, NCDE

Plenary session: Breakout Groups Report-Out, highlighting ways experts and resources in their inclusion dimension can best enhance State plans to impact poverty. Moderated by Jenelle Leonard, chair, ABIDE Leaders Network and director, leadership development for inclusion, NCDE

Wrap-up

Wine & Cheese Reception, sponsored by Rosen Digital, and Systemic Inclusion Resource Showcase: welcoming remarks by Bonnie Sutton, director, digital equity resource research and dissemination, NCDE

Buffet Dinner and Evening Panel: “The Role K12 and Teacher Education Can Play Fostering Digital Equity”. Panel moderated by Kurt Kiefer, consultant, Council of Chief State School Officers, and assistant state superintendent/chief information officer (retired), Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Panelists:

Dr. Rebecca West Burns, past president, National Association of Professional Development Schools, and director of clinical practice, University of North Florida
Dr. Mary Ford, director of inclusive career pathways, NCDE
Lawrence Franchini, vice-president, sales and operations, BrainCo
Dr. Sonny Magana, CEO, Magana Education
Richard Hasenyager, vice president, curriculum solutions, Rosen Publishing Group
Ji Soo Song, digital equity advisor, US Department of Education

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Day Two  Friday, April 28, 2023

Continental breakfast: networking time!

“Manchester’s systemic inclusion efforts: a brief case study” – remarks by Ken Sheldon, NH state president, Bank of America
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Panel: “State Leaders in Digital and Financial Inclusion Working Together”, Moderated by Tai Roberson, Vice President, Senior Social Impact & Sustainability Specialist, Wells Fargo

Panelists:

Arkansas: Abby Hughes Holsclaw, Digital Equity; Kara Wilkins, director, Bank On Arkansas+

Georgia: Oneisha Freeman, Digital Equity; Venus Lockett, Bank On Georgia

Illinois: Jeannette Tamayo, Digital Equity; Bola Delano, Bank On Illinois

Michigan:  Allie Herkenroder, Digital Equity

New Hampshire: Carol Miller, Digital Equity; Dr. Robert McLaughlin, Bank On New Hampshire

Q & A with the panelists

Break and refreshments: networking time!

Plenary session:  Roundtables report out about (a) the messages they plan to convey to recruit diverse inclusion leaders to participate in planning; (b) their questions about how best to foster impactful inclusion partnerships

Panel Response to State/Community Insights, moderated by Dr. Robert McLaughlin, NCDE

Panelists:

Dr. Ashlee Canty, director of equity initiatives, Hunt Institute

Dr. Gerry Hanley, executive director for SkillsCommons and MERLOT, California State University

Dr. Robbie Melton, interim provost, Tennessee State University, and founder HBCU Affordable Learning Solutions initiative

Richard Hasenyager, vice president for curriculum solutions, Rosen Digital

Jason Young, partner, Totally Human

Buffet lunch

Next Steps

Summit adjourns

Deepest thanks to our Summit Sponsors!