Emerging Tech Fund Adds 6 to Board

The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF), a nonprofit that advocates for expansion of broadband as a means of closing the “digital divide,” has added six new seats to its board of directors, bringing the total to 14 board members plus the president.

The organization was formed in 2005 on orders of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) in approving the mergers of SBC-AT&T and Verizon-MCI. As a condition of approval of the mergers, AT&T and Verizon were required to contribute to CETF a total of $60 million over five years “for the purpose of achieving ubiquitous access to broadband and advanced services in California, particularly in underserved communities, through the use of emerging technologies by 2010.” AT&T was to contribute $9 million per year, and Verizon $3 million per year. The CPUC also directed that at least $5 million should be used for telemedicine projects.

The CETF said the six new board members are “highly accomplished California leaders from business, education, medicine, social justice and public policy.”

CETF co-chair Rich Motta added: “The new directors bring deep knowledge and experience that will help CETF build public-private partnerships and accomplish state legislative goals to increase broadband deployment, especially in rural areas and underserved communities.”

The new board members are listed below; the overall composition of the board and staff is here.

Tim McCallion, who served as Verizon president for the U.S. West Region and is an adjunct professor at California State University, Los Angeles.

Reneé Martinez, president emeritus of Los Angeles City College and former professor of child development and vice president of workforce education and economic development at East Los Angeles College.

Pedro Noguera, the Distinguished Professor of Education at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA. Noguera has received awards from the Center for the Advanced Study of the Behavioral Sciences, the National Association of Secondary Principals and the McSilver Institute at New York University for his research into and advocacy of efforts to fight poverty.

Dr. Dorian Traube is an associate professor at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Department of Children, Youth and Families, at the University of Southern California (USC).  

Melinda White, former president of Frontier Communications, West Region, and currently CEO of Black Walnut Ventures LLC. At Frontier, she oversaw operations encompassing three states and several million consumer and commercial customers.

Suzanne Wierbinski, who has spent more than two decades in state government, serving as chief of staff and lead legislative consultant. In those roles, she developed an expertise in telecommunications and broadband policy, and understands how public and private entities can effectively partner.

Update: This article was updated at 9:45 a.m. Feb. 20 to correct Pedro Noguera's academic affiliation and to add a link to Melinda White's profile on LinkedIn.