Combating the Digital Divide by Increasing Equitable Access to Broadband Services
Reyda Taylor
2022-2023 | Travis County - Information Technology Services Department
REYDA TAYLOR is passionate about equity and knowledge-sharing and is on a mission to make research and evaluation more accessible and adaptable. For over ten years in the nonprofit and technology sectors, Reyda has been building and scaling innovative, collaborative research and data initiatives. In her most recent role, Reyda led and co-led data ecosystem and participatory evaluation initiatives, as the Senior Consultant for Data and Evaluation at Mission Capital, in Austin, TX. Reyda particularly loves the entrepreneurism of new initiatives, founding her own business PKE Insights, co-founding Capacity Catalyst, and co-founding the Texas Applied Anthropology Summit. Reyda has a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Florida and a BA in Psychology from Ouachita Baptist University.
Project
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed long-seated issues with connectivity in Travis County and now the county must tackle three interconnected crises: a public health crisis, an economic crisis, and a digital inclusion crisis. To ensure that broadband is provided as an essential utility, like water or electricity, throughout the County post-pandemic, Travis County will partner with FUSE for one year to support the launch of the County’s first Office of Broadband Development and Digital Equity.