Digital Inclusion Week
Oct 4–10, 2026

Craig Steele, Director, Digital Skills Education (Scotland)
Craig Steele is a computer scientist, educator, and children’s author who brings technology to life for young readers. He has written books that make coding, cyber security, artificial intelligence, and other digital skills easy and fun. Craig runs Digital Skills Education, where he inspires kids and adults to explore technology creatively through hands-on workshops and exciting projects around the world. He has recently completed a Churchill Fellowship, exploring how people are learning to use AI responsibility outside of traditional classrooms.

Kristine Schaan, Director of Integrated Health Services, Sourcewise (Santa Clara, CA)
Kristine is a healthcare leader with more than 15 years of experience advancing population health across public, corporate, and nonprofit sectors. She leads programs that address social drivers of health for older adults and caregivers, with a focus on innovation, community-based service delivery, and equitable access to care. 

Kristine oversees the Sourcewise Digital Link Program, a digital inclusion initiative that helps older adults access technology, broadband connectivity, and digital literacy training. Through this work, Sourcewise Digital Link Team has been at the forefront of efforts to bridge the digital divide and support older adults in using emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools and services. Her expertise in aging, health equity, and digital inclusion provides a unique perspective on how artificial intelligence can create opportunities while addressing barriers for underserved communities.

Gregg Vanderheiden, President, Raising the Floor
Dr. Vanderheiden is the founder of the Trace Center, Professor emeritus of the Universities of Wisconsin-Madison and University of Maryland, and co-founder of non-profit Raising the Floor. He has been active in technology and disability for over 55 years and was a pioneer in the field of Augmentative Communication (a term originating from his writings), assistive technology, and computer access. Access features developed by Dr. Vanderheiden and his team can be found in every computer and mobile device internationally (Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android, and Linux) as well as kiosks, ticket machines, and more. He has also been a long-time leader in web accessibility, creating the first Web Accessibility guidelines in 1995 and serving as co-editor and co-chairing the WCAG 1.0 and 2.0 Working Group from its inception in 1996 through 2013 and was the third recipient of the Yuri Rubinsky Memorial World Wide Web Award. His most recent work has focused on development of Morphic, AT-on-Demand and a completely different way to approach accessibility for next-next generation ICT. He’s has over 30 awards, is past President and Fellow of RESNA, Founding Fellow of AIMBE (American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering) and Fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics society.

Miriam Ovalle, Social Needs & Partnerships Program Manager, People’s Community Clinic
Miriam Ovalle is the Social Needs & Partnerships Program Manager at People’s Community Clinic in Austin, Texas, where she leads community-driven initiatives at the intersection of health, technology, and access. Her work in digital equity goes beyond providing devices; she helps create programs that build digital skills, confidence, and independence so patients can navigate healthcare portals, benefits, and other essential online services. Through strategic partnerships and hands-on community programming, Miriam works to remove barriers that can leave people disconnected from critical resources. She is passionate about ensuring that as services become increasingly digital, no community is left behind.

Justin Jeffrey, Community Engagement and Partnerships, Office of Equity and Community Partnerships
Justin is a Program Manager at King County Public Health where he works on the Community Engagement and Partnership team. He works with the Community Navigator program, connecting underserved communities throughout the County with the resources and services they need.

Iris O’Donnell Bellisario, Program Officer, Lead for America
Iris O’Donnell Bellisario earned two degrees from Purdue University – a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science and Masters of Public Health. As an American Connection Corps alum, Iris served with the Southern Indiana Development Commission for 2 years. Focusing on community development and facilitation, she led efforts to develop regional digital inclusion plans for the 5-county region surrounding her host site.

As a civically engaged Hoosier, Iris has spent many years working in rural communities on issues such as climate change, the digital divide, and community development initiatives. She is in her third year serving as a city councilor in her hometown of West Lafayette, IN. 

Chandes Atkins, Digital Navigator Coordinator, Lake County Administrator’s Office
Chandes Atkins is a Digital Navigator Coordinator with Lake County, Illinois, where she leads digital equity initiatives and supervises a team of Digital Navigators. Her background includes program coordination, case management, community outreach, and resident support.

In her current role, Chandes develops digital skills curricula, facilitates technology workshops, builds community partnerships, coordinates device distribution, and helps residents overcome barriers to technology. She believes digital equity goes beyond access to devices and the internet by ensuring people have the skills, confidence, and ongoing support to use technology in ways that improve their everyday lives.

Monica Gonzalez, Community Initiatives Manager, Methodist Healthcare Ministries
Monica Gonzalez is the Community Initiatives Manager at Methodist Healthcare Ministries, where she leads the implementation of digital equity strategies and cultivates partnerships to advance digital inclusion across South & Central Texas. With over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, affordable housing, and community development, Monica specializes in building cross-sector collaborations that drive strategic solutions for community impact. Previously, she served as Senior Program Director at Enterprise Community Partners in New Orleans, supporting the development of over 12,000 affordable homes and managing over $500 million in community investments post-Hurricane Katrina.

Noemi Guerra, Economic Stability Supervisor at Bastrop County Cares
Noemi Guerra is the Economic Stability Supervisor at Bastrop County Cares, where she leads initiatives focused on workforce development, economic stability, and community partnerships. She is passionate about connecting individuals and families with resources and opportunities that help them build long-term stability and success. Her work centers on bringing organizations and community partners together to create meaningful opportunities for the people of Bastrop County.

Jennifer Rich, Senior Consultant & Coach, The Case Made
Jen Rich has spent the last six years at TheCaseMade training and coaching courageous leaders across the country in the skills that we all need to make a convincing case for our work over the long haul. Before joining TheCaseMade, she spent five years as Director of Communications at the US Interagency Council on Homelessness and the five years before that as the Director of the federal National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth. Jen’s a journalist by training, having spent the early part of her career in Brazil, reporting for the New York Times, MSNBC, and others.

Meg Käufer, President, STEM Alliance
Margaret Käufer is the President/Chief Visionary Officer of The STEM Alliance. Under her leadership, The STEM Alliance has grown from a grassroots organization to a Westchester County / NYC Metro area leader in science, technology, engineering and math enrichment. Meg has championed STEM for its capacity to inspire next generation leaders while also connecting underserved populations to skills that lead to increased employability and higher wages.  The STEM Alliance is the lead programmatic partner for Connect Westchester — a scalable digital navigator program reaching thousands annually. Connect Westchester provides computers, internet access and tech education to those in need, bridging the digital divide for hundreds annually.  (BA / Brown University & M. Ed. / Teachers College – Columbia University)

Dianne Connery, Director of Development at Pottsboro Library
Dianne Connery has been dedicated to rural public libraries since 2010. She holds a Master of Library Science degree from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Gerontology degree from the University of North Texas. Ms. Connery is actively involved in initiatives geared toward digital equity in rural areas. Her passion involves inspiring and motivating individuals while advocating for the essential role of rural libraries, particularly in strengthening community resilience.

Samantha Schartman, Director, Philanthropic Programs at Connect Humanity
Samantha Schartman-Cycyk is a national broadband and digital opportunity leader with deep experience spanning philanthropy, federal policy, community investment, and cross-sector strategy. As Director of Philanthropic Programs at Connect Humanity, she leads large-scale initiatives that help communities translate local priorities into fundable, sustainable connectivity strategies. Her career includes senior roles with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, The Marconi Society, and OneCommunity, where she has built national coalitions, designed high-impact programs, and advanced public-private approaches to broadband access and adoption. She is a recognized speaker and writer on digital opportunity, community connectivity, and sustainable funding models.