Contact, Press, and Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs
1. What is the National Taskforce for Digital Inclusion (NTDI)?
NTDI is a non-profit organization that seeks to help close gaps on the digital inclusion problem in the United States by targeting low income students, the elderly, the disabled people with a special attention to African-Americans and Hispanic/Latinos.
2. Why was NTDI created?
NTDI was developed to take a target marketing approach in helping to resolve the digital inclusion problem. Our focus is on the individuals and put software and equipment in the hands of the people. We partner with educational institutions, businesses, and technology providers that support this mission.
3. How do I contact NTDI?
Address:
The National Taskforce Digital Inclusion Foudation
2324 N Hastings St. Orlando, FL 32808
Office: 888-SIA-NTDI OR Synergy in Action National Taskforce for Digital Inclusion
Fax: 888-742-6834
4. What is Digital Inclusion?
Digital Expansion describes a comprehensive program for addressing the inequalities of the Internet. It differs from current, inadequate approaches in that it treats people as human beings and full, active participants in global society rather than as consumers, as the divided, or as those who have fallen behind. Digital Expansion assumes a transformation of the Internet as a result of expanding participation in it.
The core components of Digital Expansion are
A human right to communication
The freedom to communicate
Access to the means of communication
Open lines of communication
Popular engagement in determining a shared communications future
Source: Civil Defense - a weblog by Joshua Breitbart
5. How does the Digital Inclusion affect people? What is the current state of the Digital Inclusion Challenge?
Although we address resolving the digital inclusion problem from different dimension African-American, Hispanics, and American with Disabilities population groups are our main target markets.
Dimensions of the Digital Divide
Access is Uneven
68% of Americans use the Internet
70% of Whites
57% of African Americans
38% of Americans with disabilities
37% of Hispanics
29% who have not graduated from high school
26% age 60 and older
Source: Digital Divisions, Report of the Pew Center for Internet and the American Life, October 2005
6. What programs is NTDI developing to address the Digital Inclusion challenge?
Laptop Donation Program to High School Students
Technology Equipment Scholarships?
Technology Research and Data Collection on Digital Inclusion
Technology Planning for Access, Equipment and technology education
NTDI E-Magazine - using the latest media techniques to share Digital Inclusion Successes
NTDI Technology Equipped Bus Tours in Digital Inclusion area
7. Who are the founders of NTDI?
Sara Medrano
Ms. Medrano has over 20 years of experience as a multicultural awareness educator and holds a Bachelor in Science degree in Secondary Education from the New York Buffalo State College. She has a minor in Spanish Literature and is an amateur Fiction writer. She is currently pursuing her masters in education degree at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. While residing in Buffalo, New York, she taught Spanish and English at Herman Badillo Elementary and Grover Cleveland High School; taught English as a Second Language in the Adult Education Center, assisted in cooking and distributing Meals on Wheels to Senior Citizens, and counseled abused women at the Hispanic United and Belmont Shelter. She served as consultant to the City of Buffalo School Board in the progressive use of Distance Learning in Higher Education. She is determined to fight infant death worldwide as a sustaining contributor to CARE and World Vision Feed the Children campaigns. Ms. Medrano is an expert at the application of modern pedagogical techniques to enhance modern learning receptivity. She believes that education is the key to success for young adults since it motivates students in ascertaining their inner strengths and abilities and discovering what truly inspires them. She aims to provide a stimulating learning environment that encourages students to trust their own opinions, while fostering confidence in order for students to realize their full potential. She firmly believes that when students construct their own learning experiences, they will not only retain information longer, but they will also become more confident in their abilities.
Rich Calhoun
Mr. Calhoun is Co-founder for The National Taskforce for Digital Inclusion Foundation (NTDI). He is currently a Project Director for the Georgia Technology Authority (GTA) in Atlanta, GA where he currently directs the state Wireless Communities Georgia - Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) program Prior to GTA Rich worked for AT&T Bell Labs/Lucent Technology developing switching and wireless technologies. He is an alumnus of Bloom High School class of 1977 and a Master of Science from Clark-Atlanta University, and an MBA from Northwestern University - Kellogg Graduate School of Management in Evanston, IL. Rich also holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Benedict College in South Carolina. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences and events. Rich Calhoun is a telecom veteran with 20 years of experience. He began his career at AT&T Bell Labs where he worked to develop software for 5ESS Switching Systems. He held positions in project and program management. Rich moved up the ranks when AT&T spun off Lucent Technologies where he held position in sales, marketing, and wireless broadband. One of his major contribution was the establishment of the Lucent Atlanta Center of Excellence, which -under his leadership, brought together several technical disciplines in Radio Frequency Engineering, Project Management, Customer Problem Resolution, and Professional Services Solutions. He developed business and sales models to solve systemic technical problems and increased annual sales by 45% in three years. In 2001, he graduated with Executive MBA in Marketing from Northwestern University Kellogg Graduate School of Management. While in Kellogg, Rich attended International Marketplace Seminars in Hong Kong, China and Bangkok, Thailand. He also holds a Master of Science Degree in Computer Science from Clark-Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Mathematics from Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. He has consulted for the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Mitigation Division, in Atlanta, GA in improving community outreach programs. Rich philanthropic efforts were rewarded when FEMA deployed him on several missions to support disaster victims of Hurricane Katrina. His work in disaster assistance, lead him to receive several recognition awards for going over and above the call of duty to assist victims and support his team. As a federal grants manager, Rich approved applications to assist flood and disaster homeowners in buyouts, home elevations, and repairs for the State of Georgia. His passion for service still remains strong as he embarks on his focus to bring his experiences, and skills together to tackle national Digital Inclusion issues. Rich believes that African-American and Hispanic/Latino children and students need to be targeted and provided an opportunity to be connected into our new reality for communication and education - The Internet. He states that our children that are often forgotten and left behind in the 'No Child Left Behind' era will be the key to the United States keeping its competitive edge in the future -one which continues to slip.
Julio Medrano
Mr. Medrano is an expert in Computing Information Technology with over twenty years of experience and several college degrees to include: Masters of Science in Telecommunications and Computing Management from Polytechnic University; Masters of Business Administration for Managers of Technology from Fairleigh Dickinson University; and Bachelors and Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Buffalo. Some of his publications include: "Global Impact of the Internet Economy", "European Management of Communications Networks", and "Energy Transients of High Voltage Generators" funded by the Strategic Defense Initiative Program. He was a precursor user of Computer Aided Design and programmed the first major Computing Energy Integration Equations. He has served as Director in the following Boards: Hispanics United of Buffalo, Niagara Frontier Industry and Education Council, and Junior Achievement. He is the proud recipient of the following awards: Hispanic Support Community Service, Verizon Excellence Award, Corporate Achiever, and Diversity Salute Awards. He volunteered to refurbish houses for the Habitat for Humanity. He taught computer training at the Buffalo Workforce Development Center and trained computer skills to Welfare to Work Program participants in Buffalo. He taught Applied Economics as a volunteer at Grover Cleveland High School. He mentored adult students in Math and English as a second Language in the Adult Education Center. He graduated from the Empire State Military Academy as a Commissioned Officer and served in United States Marine Corps. Mr. Medrano's major corporate accomplishments include: Lead the Post 9/11 Disaster/Recovery Team for Manhattan Digital Network, Directed the largest a telecommunications infrastructure in Western New York, deployed the largest Distance Learning Network in the Northeast, managed a $1.2 Billion nationwide Wi-Fi project, and Engineered the world's longest undersea fiber cable -FLAG.