LEARNING AT THE SPEED OF CHANGE Developing the Workforce for Information Technology in the Bay Area
PRESENTER BIOS Feb 7, 2001
John Avakian (panel moderator) has an extensive and diverse 30-year career as a high-tech educator. He is currently on a special project with the California Community Colleges' Economic Development program (ED>Net) where he has developed a New Media Initiative involving more than 150 individuals at 50 colleges. During the last 10 years, John Avakian has demonstrated digital media instructional techniques at more than 20 colleges around California, and has given numerous conference presentations on topics ranging from e-mail etiquette and virtual reality to IT certification. He served as Dean of Technology at College of San Mateo.
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Francy B. Hall is the Manager of Community Relations for SGI (formerly Silicon Graphics, Inc.), where she is responsible for Community Relations programs and partnerships throughout the United States. Hall is a trained Social Worker, workshop facilitator, and Corporate Community Relations professional.
Rosalind Hudnell currently serves as the Public Affairs Manager for Intel's California sites. In this role, she oversees a staff handling community relations, government relations, charitable contributions, media outreach, employee volunteerism, education and workforce development activities. Ms. Hudnell has been with Intel for the past four years and most recently served as the community education program manager. In this role, Ms. Hudnell directed the start-up and implementation of the Intel Computer Clubhouse Network a program for underserved youth and communities. Active in the community, she is often sought out to speak on a variety of topics related to workforce development, community development and digital divide. Ms. Hudnell serves on the board of directors of the Urban League and the Workforce Investment Board. She is also on the national advisory committee for the Digital Divide Clearinghouse.
Sunne Wright McPeak has been President and CEO of the Bay Area Council since November 1996. The Bay Area Council is a business-sponsored, CEO-led public policy organization founded in 1945 to strengthen the economy and improve quality of life in the nine-county Bay Area. The organization represents more than 250 major employers from throughout the region in promoting progressive regional public policy. During her tenure, Ms. McPeak has created and led major regional initiatives that address policy challenges involving transportation, housing, sustainable economic development, water policy, telecommunications infrastructure and education and workforce preparation.
Wanda Miles is the Director of Education Alliances at Docent, Inc. She is responsible for deploying eLearning solutions into education market place worldwide. She is also responsible for the philanthropic programs at Docent, which include Docent Scholarships, a Corporate Sponsor Program and the Docent Foundation.
Harris N. Miller became President of the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) in 1995. Miller directs the day-to-day operations of the association and reports to the ITAA Board of Directors. ITAA is the largest and oldest information technology (IT) trade association, representing 26,000 software, services, Internet, telecommunications, electronic commerce and systems integration companies. ITAA has grown more than 25% each year that Miller has been President. Miller is also President of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA), an "association of associations" representing 41 high tech trade groups around the world. Recently he has been named a member of the Board of Directors of ITT Educational Services, Inc., a publicly traded corporation.
Mark Morrison has 15 years of teaching and educational leadership experience in public high schools. He is currently the Director of New Technology High School, California's Model Digital High School and National Department of Education demonstration site for technology integration. His articles on the use of technology in schools have appeared in publications such as Converge, Syllabus, and Thrust for Educational Leadership. In addition, he has been featured on a number of television shows devoted to technology in schools, including ZDTV's "The Money Machine," California Teachers Association's "Quest for Excellence" and a PBS special.
Bob Pearlman is the Executive Director of the Director of Education and Workforce Development at Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network and was formerly President of the Autodesk Foundation (1996-2000). Pearlman is the Chairperson of the Bay Area School-to-Career Action Network (BaySCAN). Pearlman is a member of the Governor's School-to-Career Advisory Council, the Education Task Force of the California Business Roundtable, and the advisory boards of New Ways Workers National, Workforce Silicon Valley, and the California Tech Corps.
Linda Graef Salter was appointed to the position of Chancellor of the West Valley-Mission Community College District in August of 1999. Chancellor Salter oversees a two-college District with an enrollment of about 30,000 and a budget of over $94 million. Under her leadership, the Colleges have garnered more than $14.5 million annually in grants, gifts, and equipment, and the District is engaged in a major planning effort to better meet the needs of the communities served by the Colleges. Recently she was named to the CEO Board for the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office.