Connected Nation

Send us Fan Mail In March, we’re putting a spotlight on Women’s History Month and examining how women are shaping the world of technology around us. On this episode of Connected Nation, our guest is  Dawn Yankeelov , the Executive Director and CEO of the Technology Association of Louisville Kentucky (TALK).  Learn how her role with the National Cyber Readiness Institute helps small businesses, wha...

Send us Fan Mail In March, we’re focusing on Women’s History Month and examining how women are shaping the world of technology around us.  On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with two women who are leaders in the broadband space in the state of Ohio.  Specifically, we’ll focus on what the state has been doing to improve cybersecurity policy—what’s also referred to as “cyber hygiene,” how...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, our guest is the Lt. Governor of Michigan, Garlin Gilchrist II—the first African American to serve in that role.   The Lt. Governor has focused his career and time in public service on spearheading work for equality and justice while harnessing technology to solve real-world problems.  Learn how the Lt. Governor approaches innovating change thr...

Send us Fan Mail Throughout February, we’re focusing on Black History Month and talking with those in the Black community who are creating positive impact through technology.   On this episode,  our guest is Heather Gate, Vice President of Digital Inclusion for Connected Nation. We’ll discuss the definition of digital equity and its impact on communities of colors AND learn about her  connection t...

Send us Fan Mail Throughout February, we're focusing on Black History Month and talking with those in the Black community who are creating positive change.   On this episode of Connected Nation, our guest is Walter Woods, the CEO of the Humana Foundation—which works across multiple sectors to address social and economic barriers to better health outcomes - and invests millions of dollars to a...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted who is also the founder and Director of InnovateOhio. Learn how the Lt. Gov. overcame common obstacles and naysayers to innovate state government through technology and what he considers the biggest example of "tech inequity" across the country. Related links: About InnovateOhio: https://innov...

Send us Fan Mail Throughout February, Connected Nation is focusing on Black History Month and talking with those in the Black community who are creating positive impact and innovating in the world of technology.  On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Sabrina Morton, who is a change manager at L3 Harris – a technology group that provides advanced defense and commercial technologies acro...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation,  we examine groundbreaking research that looks at Digital Isolation among older Americans.  We talk with those behind the report which found that 22 million U.S. seniors lack the high-speed internet access they need – and thanks to the pandemic – it’s a connectivity problem that this report shows has had devastating effects.   Related Links Abo...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation,  we talk with Superintendent and CEO of Butler Tech, Jon Graft, and State Program Director for Connected Nation Ohio, Tina Lyden.  Learn how Butler Tech is leveraging technology and local partnerships to expand internet connectivity to its students in unique ways.  Plus, we discuss emerging careers in technology, examine an approach to educatio...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Texas Representative Charles “Doc” Anderson who was working to bring high-speed internet access to more people long before the pandemic highlighted its importance.   He shares his advice for leaders across the country on how to more effectively work toward expanding access and tells us how he believes it benefits rural communities,...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with those behind a partnership that’s helping to connect thousands of people across Rhode Island who are stuck in the Digital Divide - in the midst of the pandemic.     Also, we discuss a network of nonprofits that is quietly tackling research and education issues across the country AND explore the ways the pandemic has changed how lib...

Send us Fan Mail On this edition of Connected Nation, we talk with those who are leading the AT&T K-12 homework gap program— which is focused on closing the at-home connectivity gap for at-risk students.  This program includes a $10 million commitment from AT&T. We discuss which organizations are eligible for the program, how the application process works, and what’s being offered to help...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Emily Jordan, the Vice President of Connect K12, which is a FREE, online resource focused on helping school district leaders and state decision makers improve classroom and school network internet connectivity.   This is a critical need—amplified by the pandemic— as teachers and students rely on these networks to learn virtually an...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with two members of the Texas Governor’s Broadband Development Council which recently released a report on the state of broadband connectivity across the Lone Star State. We discuss the recommendations the Council made to the governor, what important data point members believe still need more study, and how the lessons from Texas could...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Jeb Bush, the former Governor of Florida, who in a recent opinion piece published by Slate pointed to high-speed internet (broadband) as “an imperative, not a luxury.” We will explore how he believes the country can close the Digital Divide by taking a page out of history and looking at the success seen through a program during Pre...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with those behind a massive undertaking to connect more than 28,000 students with economic challenges to high-speed internet in a Tennessee school district– and they’re succeeding in the midst of the pandemic.    Learn how this unique public-private partnership was developed—and how it is working to help thousands of kids who would othe...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with two Ohio University students who have been working to improve connectivity across the Buckeye State. Learn what they’ve been doing to help expand internet access for families and communities—even during the pandemic.  Learn more about Connected Nation Ohio by heading here: https://connectednation.org/ohio About HB13 - which was men...

Send us Fan Mail This is Rural Technology Leaders (RTL), a special series produced through the Connected Nation Podcast. In this series, we focus on companies and individuals that are utilizing technology and connectivity in rural America. In this episode of RTL, we talk with Dan Manning and Tom Stephenson, who each serve as Community Technology Advisors for Connected Nation’s Connected Community...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Connected Nation we talk with State Program Director for Connected Nation Texas, Jennifer Harris, and Vice President of GIS Services for Connected Nation, Ashley Hitt, who led a team that recently released new broadband coverage maps for every single county in Texas—if you’re counting that’s 254.   Ashley and Jennifer share details on how this was done, what it...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Doug McCollough, the Chief Information Officer, for the City of Dublin in Ohio.  He has not only helped navigate the city through Covid-19 measures but is also a leader within Black Tech Columbus—a group with a mission to provide space for Black Tech professionals to connect, collaborate, and create. Black Tech Columbus Website: ht...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation we talk with Evan Marwell, Founder and CEO of EducationSuperHighway—a nonprofit with a mission to upgrade internet access in every public school classroom in America. Learn how the organization ultimately achieved its goal before pivoting its mission and focus to respond to the urgent need for better access at home following 2020 school closures...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode, we talk with Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai. He shares what action the FCC has and IS taking to make sure YOU stay connected during and after the pandemic….and discusses what priority projects are already in play as the nation looks to the Commission for guidance about the future of— among other things—5G technology, telehealth, school connect...

Send us Fan Mail Right now, millions of Americans are struggling. COVID-19 closures forced workers into their homes and students out of the classroom. And there’s a looming problem with that—many of these individuals and families do not have the critical internet access they need.   On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with those behind a new project in northern Michigan that’s tackling th...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with Martha Tedesco and Mary Lang who are with Assumption High School located in Louisville, Kentucky. Assumption is the largest Sisters of Mercy-sponsored Catholic high school in the Americas and one of the largest all-girls Catholic schools in the country.  The school approached COVID-19 closures in some unique ways. Lang and Tedesco...

Send us Fan Mail This is Rural Technology Leaders (RTL), a special series produced through the Connected Nation Podcast. In this series, we focus on companies and individuals that are utilizing technology and connectivity in rural America. In this edition of RTL, we talk with Nathan Stooke founder of WISPER ISP, a rural fixed wireless internet service provider in South Western Illinois. We discuss...