Winter 2004-2005

CTCNet Annual Conference

Over 500 participants, representing thirty states and nine countries, attended the 2004 CTCNet Annual Conference, held June 11-13, 2004 in Seattle, WA. The theme, “Building Connected Communities: the Power of People & Technology,” explored the vision of the community technology movement as a force for community development through more than 50 professional development and organizational capacity-building workshops, panel plenaries, and special events. A team of youth journalists, representing technology and media programs from Tacoma, WA; Salt Lake City, UT; and Camden, NJ, provided the official multimedia document of all conference proceedings.

CTCNet Executive Director Kavita Singh with U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (WA)

The "Welcome to Seattle" evening reception featured local government, community, and education leaders. Peer networks in other regions of the world shared experiences and ideas through the "Connecting Across Borders” international symposium. The Community Technology Share Fair, a peer-driven resource showcase, featured dozens of practitioner demonstrations and new product releases. CTCNet and the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) hosted an exclusive advance screening of “Freedom Machines,” a powerful documentary on assistive technology. The Center for Media & Community at Education Development Center hosted a reception to release a report on electronic government, produced in conjunction with the New York State Forum of the Rockefeller Institute of Government.

Microsoft's Akhtar Badshah

This year's Toni Stone Innovation Initiative Award Luncheon featured welcome remarks from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (WA), and a keynote address from Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director of Global Community Affairs at Microsoft. The 2004 Toni Stone Innovative Initiative Award was presented to Coretta Alexander, Associate Director of StreetTech, in recognition of her work to provide life skills and personal support to her students.

The 14th Annual CTCNet Conference will be June 16-19, 2005 in Cleveland, Ohio at the InterContinental Hotel & Conference Center. Mark your calendars and plan to attend!