Taking Wireless Into the Community

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Date: Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Time: 10:30 — 12 Noon

Wireless networks are becoming increasingly popular with nonprofits and communities because of their simplicity and low cost. On a larger scale, some communities are now experimenting with community-wide wireless networks, and municipal wireless networks are being developed in some cities. This workshop will share lessons learned in planning and implementing three pilot wireless community networks in Illinois, and show how Neighborhood Networks centers can take advantage of wireless networks in their communities.

Materials:
Wireless Community Networks presentation

Moderator:
William Miecuna
Housing Program Manager, Neighborhood Networks Coordinator
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, New York, NY

Presenters:

Rachel Evans
Resident Services Coordinator
Park Villas Family Learning Opportunity Center, National City, CA

Rachel Evans has served as the resident services coordinator at two sites operated by the San Diego Community Housing Coalition. Currently, Evans implements and expands educationally enriching programs for hundreds of youth and adults at the Park Villas Learning Center in National City, California. Prior to Park Villas, Evans spent nearly two years at the Hacienda Town Homes Learning Center located at an affordable housing community in the East Village of downtown San Diego. There, Evans provided successful programs geared toward academic achievement, computer literacy, science skills, and social development. Evans has worked for numerous science-based organizations, including the Scripps Research Institute; the University of California, San Diego, Biology Department; and the U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Project. She has published several articles on health and social awareness in periodicals. Evans attended the University of Southern California where she studied biology and journalism.

Stephen Perkins
Senior Vice President
Wireless Community Networks, a project of the Center For Neighborhood Technology

Stephen Perkins is senior vice president of Chicago’s Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT), a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable urban communities. Prior to joining CNT, Perkins founded and directed numerous Chicago urban revitalization projects; led a faith-based initiative; was a bank director; and founded a public high school. Perkins graduated from Harvard and earned a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Chicago.