Speakers - A through C


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Index


Steve Cisler

Steve manages the Network Outreach program in the Advanced Technology Group at Apple Computer in Cupertino, California. His background is in public libraries where he worked for 14 years before coming to Apple in 1988.
He runs the Apple Library of Tomorrow program that provides equipment and software for innovative research and demonstration projects in all types of libraries. Since 1993 it has been involved in developing community based networks where libraries are deeply involved.
Other programs in Network Outreach include web publishing instruction and research and an effort to secure large amounts of radio spectrum for free, public use in schools, libraries, homes, and business.
He has written for Library Journal, Online, Whole Earth Review,and Wired.


Evan Steve Crandall

(Evan) Steve Crandall is a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff in the Information Systems and Services Research Laboratory of AT&T Research (or AT&T Bell Labs depending on your calendar).
He holds a Ph.D. in High Energy Physics from SUNY at Stony Brook and has been involved in the Internet since graduate school. In the past few years the Internet has become a major research interest.
For the past two years Steve has been involved in volunteer efforts to bring usable bandwidth to schools and other community organizations and the interesting technical and social problems.


Dr. William J. Bramble, Ph.D.

Dr. Bramble is Director of the Distance Education Center and Media Technology Services at the University of New Mexico main campus. In that role he administers the university's distance education programs including course production, course delivery and coordination, communications systems and engineering, and program development. He also holds the rank of full professor in the Training and Learning Technologies program of the UNM College of Education.
Dr. Bramble holds masters degrees in experimental psychology and educational research. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Education (Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistical Analysis). Dr. Bramble has worked in the field of educational technology and telecommunications for over 20 years, serving with a number of agencies and administering large federal and state grants totaling over $10 million.
Prior to joining the staff of the University of New Mexico Dr. Bramble served as Distance Education Program Manager for the Institute for Simulation and Training (IST) at the University of Central Florida. At IST he also served as principal investigator for several large contracts with the Department of Defense. He conducted research for the Defense Language Institute, the Defense Training and Performance Data Center, and the Defense Institute for Training Resources Analysis. Previously he served as Director of the Office of Educational Technology and Telecommunications for the Alaska Department of Education and as a faculty member and acting chair of the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling at the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Bramble has authored or coauthored over 100 publications including: two textbooks, numerous journal articles, technical reports, and presentations. He has served as a member or officer in a number of statewide and national organizations and as a distance education planning consultant to various organizations including the Department of Defense, State of Alaska, Queensland Australia Department of Education, Canadian Government, and others.


Paul M.A. Baker, AICP

Paul M.A. Baker is a Research Fellow with the Center for Regional Analysis, at The Institute of Public Policy, George Mason University, in Fairfax, Virginia. He also holds an adjunct faculty appointment with the Department of Public and International Affairs, teaching courses in the areas of state and local government, and research methodology. Mr. Baker is currently working with the Morino Institute researching institutional issues involved in community information infrastructure development, and economic policy implementation and assessment.

His research experience includes studies based on combined survey research, and qualitative (focus and nominal group) approaches for both private and public sectors clients. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy at George Mason University, and holds an M.P. in Urban Planning from the University of Virginia, and an M.A. in International Transactions from George Mason University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.


Don Beagle

Don Beagle is Head of Main Library in Charleston, SC. and also serves as Managing Editor of the Charleston Multimedia Project, a collaborative WWW guide to the history, architecture, and culture of Charleston . He received his MLS from the University of Michigan, and a Certificate in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He formerly worked as Director of the Lee County Library System in North Carolina, where he was also Library Coordinator for the Independent Scholars Program at Duke University. His articles have appeared in numerous journals, including Popular Government, Public Library Quarterly, and Libri: the International Library Review.


Richard Bryant, Ph.D.

Dr. Richard W. Bryant is the Managing Director for Projects and R&D for the La Plaza Telecommunity Foundation Inc., and is one of the founders of La Plaza. He has been on the faculty of the University of New Mexico--Taos Education Center Computer Technology Department over the last two years. Dr. Bryant also owns R.W. Bryant Associates, an advanced technology market research firm based in El Prado, NM that provides advanced technology consulting for governments and companies worldwide.

Prior to coming to New Mexico, Dr. Bryant was the Director of the Optic and Electro-optics and Telecommunications Divisions of a major east coast technology market research firm. He has also taught in the European Division of the University of Maryland, Rutgers University, and the University of Pennsylvania.

Richard W. Bryant Managing Director-Projects and R&D La Plaza Telecommunity Foundation rb@laplaza.taos.nm.us P.O. Box 1828 El Prado, NM 87529 Tel/fax: +1-505-758-1919


Paul Cross

Paul A. Cross began his computing career at the age of 15 writing interactive computer games. He holds a degree from Dartmouth College in Creative Writing and Computer Science. His work in computer animation has been seen world-wide and includes film work in Ghost in the Machine, Darkman, Star Trek V, Coca-Cola, and Nova.
Mr. Cross is a co-founder of La Plaza, and now serves as Director of Technology. He has extensive user interface design experience. He was instrumental in the co- development of the La Plaza interface. Mr. Cross presents nationally on Community Networking including the recent "Ties That Bind" community networking conference sponsored by Apple Computer and the Morino Institute, ACE and Society and the Future of Computing Conferences.

pacross@laplaza.taos.nm.us


Howard Besser

Howard Besser is Visiting Associate Professor of Information & Library Studies at the University of Michigan, and a specialist in multimedia and image databases, particularly in cultural repositories.

Dr. Besser used a variety of distant-independent technologies to teach a course (on the impact of new technologies) in both Ann Arbor and Berkeley Spring 1995. He is interested in discovering which delivery methods work best for delivery of different forms of curriculum, and has explored fixed classroom interaction for lectures, and videophone connections for office hours and student-to-student meetings. He is particularly interested in delineating the infrastructure that is necessary for curricular support materials and for collaborary work. He is currently editing an issue of "Journal of the American Society for Information Science" devoted to Distant-Independent Learning, and has written several articles on aspects of distance education as well as upon it's social, cultural, and educational impact.

Howard Besser
Visiting Associate Professor
School of Information & Library Studies
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1092
(313)764-3417 (voice)
(313)764-2475 (fax)
howardb@umich.edu
http://www.sils.umich.edu/~howardb/


Sara Behrman

Sara Behrman is the Director of the Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative, a membership organization serving libraries in Genesee, Shiawasee, Lapeer and northern Oakland counties in southwest Michigan. Sara has a B.A. in Russian and Comparative Literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a M.A. in Library Science from the University of Iowa, and all but the capstone paper completed for her M.P.A. from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. Sara has worked in libraries in five states: Wisconsin, Iowa, New York, Washington and Michigan. Her efforts in electronic community networking began in 1993; she planned Internet training classes for librarians and served as an active member of a developing local free-net... the Genesee Free-Net. Sara served on the Board of the Genesee Free-Net for one and a half years and is a charter member. Sara has lectured on the free-net movement, community networks, and has established three Internet and community networking training centers by partnering with various organizations and by active (and often productive) grantwriting. Sara is currently working with other partners to develop and deliver Internet training to librarians and other community leaders, as well as facilitating the collaboration of active community networking players in the development of important local content for community networks in several Michigan communities.

Sara Behrman, Director Mideastern Michigan Library Cooperative
432 N Saginaw Street, Suite 206 Flint, MI 48502 (810) 232-7119 (voice)
(810) 232-6639 (fax) email: sbehrman@genesee.freenet.org


Jim Burger

Mr. Burger is Senior Director, Worldwide Government Affairs at Apple Computer, Inc. Jim is responsible for Apple's public policy issues before international, national and local government bodies. In 1991, Jim was instrumental in starting the process that radically transformed unlicensed services when he spearheaded the submission of Apples "Data-PCS Petition for Rulemaking." Jim is intimately involved in Apple's "NII Band" submission for unlicensed spectrum in the 5 GHz band. Prior to joining Apple, Mr. Burger was a Partner at Shaw, Pittman, Potts and Trowbridge. Mr. Burger received his J.D. (1971) from New York University School of Law, and his M.A. (1968) and B.A. (1967) from New York University. Mr. Burger also taught advanced administrative law at the University of Virginia Law School.


Amy Borgstrom

Amy Borgstrom is Executive Director of the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, located in Athens, Ohio. She has two Masters degrees in communications and information science, as well as extensive experience in coalition building on the grassroots, state and regional level. She has worked in development and networking for private non-profit corporations for the last ten years.
In past positions she has been involved in small business development and labor- management relations. She currently shares responsibility for the development of ACEnet's flexible manufacturing networks project, and is especially involved in aspects of the project focusing on the impact of new information technologies on community transformation efforts. She works with microenterprise firms focusing on two market niches, as well as others in the economic development community, on a project designed to show how a regional community network can be used as a platform to amplify and support job creation efforts. ACEnet is currently designing and carrying out a number of strategies to ensure the sustainability of community networks and non-profit organizations by developing new kinds of products, services, and partnerships. About Appalachian Center for Economic Networks (ACEnet) ACEnet is a non-profit community development organization working to revitalize the economy of Appalachian Ohio. Founded in 1985, ACEnet is committed to the development of a sustainable regional economy based on economic justice, self determination and respect for diversity. For the last several years, we have focused our efforts on job creation and retention by establishing flexible manufacturing networks (FMNs) in southeastern Ohio. Flexible manufacturing networks bring together groups of very small firms to collaboratively manufacture items for custom or niche markets. In northern Italy and Denmark, areas with significant FMN formation have experienced dramatic economic revitalization, generating many new jobs and businesses and substantially increasing the standard of living.
After a year of research on the European model, ACEnet initiated its FMN project in southeastern Ohio. The goal of the project is to introduce small manufacturing firms in this rural, 11-county region to a new, high-value markets. ACEnet is currently working on the development of two niche markets--one that focuses on special housing needs and value added wood products, and one that focuses on specialty food production. We are convinced that FMNs provide a way for small manufacturing firms in southeastern Ohio to compete in the global marketplace. In addition, the FMN strategy can lead to gains in employment and productivity, and an increasingly skilled workforce.
-- Amy Borgstrom

Appalachian Center for Economic Networks94 Columbus Road
Athens, OH 45701 (614) 592-3854
(614) 593-5451 (fax)
(614) 593-7171 (tdd)
aa020@seorf.ohiou.edu



Dr. George D. Baldwin

George was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma in December of 1952. For the first two years of his life he was raised on his uncle George Lessert's ranch. When Kaw tribal land was sold for the eventual construction of the Kaw Reservoir, his father David (Osage roll number 1443) chose to attend college at the Haskell Indian College in Kansas. Later graduating from Kansas University, David accepted a job with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and moved the family to the remote Bannock Creek region of the Shoshone-Bannock Reservation in Idaho to work as an Adult Education Specialist. This move was the first of a series of moves for the Baldwin family as they followed David's career with the BIA.
George was raised on and attended Indian schools on the Shoshone-Bannock Reservation (Idaho), Umatilla Reservation (Oregon), Yankton Sioux Reservation (South Dakota) and finally returned home to the Osage Reservation (Oklahoma) when his father became the first tribal member to be appointed as BIA Superintendent for the Osage Tribe. In college, George received B.A. degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. His Master's degree is in Indian Manpower Economics. His Ph.D. is in Sociology (areas of specialty include Complex Organization, Social Psychology, and Research Methodology). Both were earned at Oklahoma State University. His graduate work was supported in part by grants from the Department of Labor and the American Sociological Association Minority Fellowship Program. During graduate school he worked as a consultant in tribal planning for the Jicarilla Apache (New Mexico), the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation (Oregon), as well as the Osage and the Cherokee Tribes (Oklahoma). His master's thesis was a study of manpower training and labor force participation on the Osage reservation. His doctoral dissertation was a comparison of two tribal governments, the Otoe-Missouri and Cherokee.
His research interests have been focused on the potential role of telecommunications (the "information superhighway') as a development tool for rural indigenous populations in North America. His concerns for equity of access to information technology and the creation of an "information poor" lower class play a central role in his policy studies. His work has helped create and support several public computer networks, including INDIANnetª, the first Indian owned and operated public data network in the US His research and demonstration projects have been supported by grants from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment of the Humanities. Today he is a Professor and Faculty Planner at California State University Monterey Bay. At CSUMB he is Director of the Community Information Resource Institute and INDIANnet Census Information Center. He teaches courses on community networking technology, telecommunication policy, and the social behavior of groups and individuals on computer networks.
He can be reached by voice at 408-582-3625 , by email at
George_Baldwin@Monterey.Edu , and through the World Wide Web at http://www.monterey.edu


Laura Breeden

Laura Breeden is currently an independent technology consultant based in Westford, Massachusetts.
From 1994 to 1996 Ms. Breeden was director of a highly competitive, multi-million dollar federal grant program designed to demonstrate the benefits of the "information superhighway" in the public sector. Under her leadership, more than 200 organizations received a total of $60 million through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U. S. Department of Commerce.
In addition to directing the grant program, Ms. Breeden was involved at senior levels in the formation of federal policy on the use of technology in education, health care and social services.
Prior to joining the Commerce Department, from 1991 to 1994, Ms. Breeden was executive director of FARNET (the Federation of American Research Networks), a non-profit association of Internet service providers whose mission is to promote the use of the Internet for research and education. While at FARNET, she conceived of and co-edited "51 Reasons: How We Use the Internet and What It Says about the Information Superhighway", a collection of stories from Internet users about how network access benefited their personal and professional lives.
From 1983 to 1991 Ms. Breeden held a series of positions in the Network Services Group at Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc. in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was instrumental in the formation of NEARnet, the New England Academic and Research Network.
Ms. Breeden's additional work in the public sector includes several years in community-based child care and three years as a fund-raiser for an international development and relief agency.
Ms. Breeden is a 1973 graduate of Oberlin College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.


Richard Civille

Richard Civille is the Executive Director of the Center for Civic Networking, a non-profit organization based in Massachusetts that puts information infrastructure to work for community economic development, delivery of non-profit services and citizen participation in governance.
Mr. Civille was a co-founder in 1982 of the ECONET global computer conferencing system serving over 5,000 environmental groups and advocates, and is a founding board member of CapAccess, the civic networking organization serving over 12,000 in the national capital area. He has consulted to the Office on Technology Assessment concerning delivery of federal services using information technology and with numerous non-profit organizations. He is writing a book on civic networking for O'Reilly and Associates. He has appeared on C-SPAN and CBS Sunday Morning. Mr. Civille is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Cruz and previously served as Director of Information Services at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, D.C.