The Community Technology Advisory Board (CTAB) recently welcomed new members: Camille Malonzo, a software engineer at Microsoft; Dr. Lassana Magassa, a recent doctorate degree recipient in information science from the University of Washington’s Information School (UW iSchool); Brandon Lindsey, a nonprofit and educational consultant; and Dr. Tyrone Grandison, a technologist, scientist, researcher, and social good advocate.
CTAB is comprised of 10 volunteer members – six appointed by the Mayor and four appointed by the Seattle City Council – who serve in an advisory capacity to help guide citywide decision making around issues of community-wide interest relating to information and communications technology. Issues are referred by the Mayor and Councilmembers or come from community input.
In addition to its ongoing focus on digital equity and inclusion, the board’s priorities include strengthening relationships within City government to advance Seattle’s technology agenda, which this year has focused on the role of technology in the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. CTAB is engaging with Seattle Public Schools and The Seattle Public Library around improving technological connectivity for residents and working to expand access to quality health care via telemedicine.
In her role at Microsoft, Malonzo is currently focusing on building features, privacy, and compliance for the OneNote and Sticky Notes applications. Previously, she worked on OneDrive/SharePoint and the front-end experience of the Windows operating system. She earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Mount Holyoke College, where she is a member of the Board of Trustees. Malonzo also serves as an innovation board member of the nonprofit Advancement for Rural Kids and as a conference organizer for the AnitaB.Org Seattle chapter for women in computing. She is committed to continuously learning, advocating, and advancing work at the intersection of technology and community organizing, particularly in endeavors that advance social justice. Malonzo is an at-large member appointed by the Mayor.
Magassa recently graduated from the UW iSchool, where he completed his Ph.D. with a focus on digital literacy and worked on issues related to how underrepresented people are affected by technology policy and their access to and use of digital technology. That work led to the creation of the Diverse Voices method, a novel approach that prioritizes the viewpoints of experiential experts in the policy making process. Magassa’s current work explores the digital literacy levels of people recently released from incarceration and their transition to a tech-driven society. He serves in an education position on the board appointed by the Mayor.
Lindsey, a consultant with a focus on digital literacy and equity, has a master’s degree in intercultural service leadership and management from the School for International Training. He recently completed a data science intensive with Galvanize, a leading education provider in the fields of software engineering and data science. He managed Seattle Goodwill’s digital literacy initiative and led the implementation of a culturally appropriate ESL iPad program. Lindsey, a parent of children in Seattle Public Schools, has a passion for data science and digital equity in youth and historically underserved communities. He serves in the public access position appointed by the Mayor.
Grandison brings more than two decades developing and deploying data-driven, impact-focused, people-centered products and services that improve the lives of under-represented, and often ignored, American communities. Grandison is the board chairman of the Data-Driven Institute and advises several startups on the best ways to utilize community insight, data, and technology to craft, create, implement, and iterate on programs, products, and policies that solve their most pressing problems. He earned his Ph.D. in computer science from Imperial College London. Grandison is an at-large member appointed by the City Council.
Board members are appointed to a two-year term which can be renewed for one additional term. To learn more about CTAB, visit their website.