NDIA Team

Paolo joined the NDIA team in summer 2020. He began his career in public library education and outreach in 2013, first in Cleveland and most recently at the New York Public Library. He has worked with the Mozilla Foundation and a cohort of practitioners and advocates to develop a Web literacy toolkit, and he has served as a panelist at the American Library Association Annual Conference to discuss digital literacy. He received his master’s in library and information science with an emphasis on data visualization and user experience from the Pratt Institute. He is an advocate for access equity in a variety of spheres, including transportation, housing, and of course, broadband. He lives in Brooklyn with his houseplants.

Valeria joined NDIA in October 2022. She has over 12 years of experience with nonprofits. She has worked on various initiatives, from health, education, and human rights to immigration and food security. She is a community leader who advocates for the accessibility of resources, equity, and inclusion across policymaking. With past lived experience, Valeria, a DACA recipient, is passionate about advancing policy that honors the voices of those often voiceless in our society. Valeria earned her bachelor’s in anthropology and labor studies at UCLA and her master’s in public policy with a global processes and institutions certification from Luskin, UCLA. She is honored to contribute to ethical and conscious policymaking in the fast-moving world of technology. Valeria enjoys spending time with her family, hosting gatherings of friends, and traveling.

Amy joined NDIA in 2021. She is a public servant, systems thinker, innovative policy expert and a storyteller with a passion for closing the digital divide and ensuring all Americans can thrive in the 21st century’s digital world. Amy has studied and worked in the digital inclusion field for 10 years. Prior to joining NDIA, Amy served as the State of North Carolina’s first digital inclusion and policy manager for the Broadband Infrastructure Office, a division of the Department of Information Technology. Amy’s interest in technology spans beyond broadband. For several years, she was a freelance writer and consultant, contributing to tech-focused publications where she covered North Carolina’s startup ecosystem. Amy holds a master’s degree in public administration and bachelor’s degree in political science from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Munirih joined the NDIA team in summer 2021. has extensive experience in the field of digital inclusion. For the past 6 years, she has played a leadership role in planning, implementing, expanding, and evaluating digital inclusion efforts in relation to training, devices, connectivity, as well as coalition work. Munirih has worked with local and federal government agencies, nonprofits, and housing authorities to help coordinate and expand digital inclusion awareness, program, policy, planning, and research. Munirih has served in various roles such as NTEN fellow, Federal Reserve Bank research intern, ConnectHome coordinator, housing policy and data coordinator, and coalition chair. Munirih has an educational background in public policy, nonprofit management, and urban and regional planning and was awarded the national Digital Equity Champion award in 2019.

Caitlin joined the NDIA team in 2018. She started her work fighting social and environmental injustices in 2010 when she joined AmeriCorps NCCC. During this year, she completed humanity relief projects across the South, including fighting wildland fires. Since graduating from the program, Caitlin continued to work with nonprofits focusing on social issues while completing her degree in psychology and behavioral neuroscience at The Ohio State University. Caitlin strives to utilize her management and nonprofit experience to continue her service by working to ensure all people have access to the jobs and knowledge provided by internet services.

Amanda joined the NDIA team in March 2022. She has a passion for using her skills and experiences to offer the highest level of operational support possible. Her professional background includes both administrative and operational support roles, and she has an educational background in psychology. Before NDIA, Amanda worked in for an energy efficiency nonprofit, where she focused on coordination of residential programs, working closely with individuals experiencing poverty to offer life-changing updates to their homes. In the past, Amanda also volunteered as a peer advocate for survivors of sexual assault. Working in the nonprofit sector has been a natural step for her to pursue a passionate, community-minded career. Outside of work, Amanda is tending to her large vegetable garden, corralling her herd of pets, and voraciously taking on new crafting projects.

Pamela joined the NDIA team in January 2022. For the previous five years, she worked for nonprofits focusing on ending gender-based violence. She managed multilingual advocacy programs, 24-hour crisis hotlines, and provided community prevention trainings on domestic and sexual violence while serving the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Through trainings, she educated advocates on AAPI history and activism. In her work with KAN-WIN’s “Comfort Women” Advocacy, she led the Global Action Day march in downtown Chicago to the Consulate-General of Japan in August 2021. Pamela graduated from Northern Illinois University with a bachelor’s in political science and a minor in sociology. When she’s not working, she’s either journaling, playing with her cat Ube, or exploring the windy city.

Aaron joined the NDIA team in January 2022. He is experienced at working with local leaders and elected officials to build consensus and develop place-based solutions to the most pressing community challenges. Throughout his career, Aaron has advocated for data and information access to empower communities to affect positive change. Prior to joining NDIA, Aaron was the director of data and mapping at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, where he headed the agency’s work in data analytics, visualization, and GIS. He also established the organization’s strategy and programming for broadband and digital inclusion and co-led the creation of the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition. Aaron’s career experience includes working as an urban planner and research director primarily in public and nonprofit organizations. He is a two-time graduate of The Ohio State University, with a master’s degree in city and regional planning and a bachelor’s degree in sociology.

Angela founded NDIA in 2015 and has been working in the field we now call digital inclusion since 1997. She has helped physically set up computer labs in underserved areas, managed broadband conferences, conducted research, managed digital inclusion programs, assisted with the Department of Commerce’s Broadband Adoption Toolkit, testified before Congress, and more. Angela serves on the Board of Directors of the Schools, Health, & Libraries Broadband Coalition. Government Technology Magazine named Angela one of their Top 25 Doers, Dreams, and Drivers of 2019, and she received the Parker Award from the United Church of Christ in 2021.

See Angela’s full bio for speaking and other events.

Lo joined the NDIA team in January 2022. Their work in libraries in the greater Baltimore area led them to the field of digital equity, as they experienced the impacts of the digital divide in their own community. Prior to joining NDIA, they served as the coordinator of digital equity at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, where they also served as a technology exchange fellow in 2018. During their time with the Pratt library, Lo piloted a variety of outreach and community-based digital inclusion programming, as well as examining the ways unexpected barriers impacted digital access and literacy. Lo graduated from Simmons University with a master’s of library science in 2019. Offline, they can be found strengthening their fearlessness, teamwork, and communication skills in the partner acrobatics and circus community. 

Abi Waldrupe joined NDIA in January 2022. She began work in digital inclusion at the start of her career in academic libraries, where she saw a correlation between digital inequities and academic success in first-year college students. At the State Library of North Carolina, in partnership with the NC Broadband Infrastructure Office, she shifted to digital inclusion work with public libraries and their community partners as she led the development of local and statewide digital inclusion programs. She earned her master’s in library science from Indiana University. Abi has been part of the NDIA community for years and is excited to continue working with NDIA affiliates and partners. 

Vicky joined the NDIA team in fall 2021. With 21 years of experience working in nonprofit and government sectors, her passion is to improve human experiences and equity through collaborative, thoughtful process. After receiving her master’s degree from University of Washington Evans School of Public Affairs, Vicky dove into the local public sector scene at the City of Seattle and Seattle Housing Authority. At the City of Seattle, she joined the Community Technology Team working on digital equity projects. Some of her proudest accomplishments have been starting the Special Technology Access & Resource (STAR Center) Center, working on the Tech Access & Adoption studies and managing the Technology Matching Fund. Vicky lives in Bellevue, Washington, across the “pond” from Seattle with her family. For free time, Vicky enjoys baking, casual gatherings and catching whatever sunlight makes it to her backyard.