Digitalundivided: From the “Valley” to the “Hood”

#sxsw #DIDTECH

digitalundivided (DID) is a tech based social enterprise founded by black women, that is leading the charge to develop a model for tech entrepreneurship and education created by the community, for the community. 25% of the companies who participated in DID programs have received Angel/Venture funding and millions are reached each week via DID’s various social media activities (#DIDTECHTALK). In this panel we explore how digitalundivided is creating a sustainable tech pipeline that is focused on engaging diverse communities.

Presenters

Ashley Scott

Program Assoc

digitalundivided

Ashley is passionate about building communities and serving as a resource for individuals interested in launching a career in tech. Currently Ashley works to expand the tech pipeline through her role as Program Associate with digitalundivided (DID), a New York based social enterprise where her job is to manage and develop programs that increase the number of urban entrepreneurs, especially women, in the digital space. She also serves as Operations Manager for MatchBOX Coworking Studio where she is working to cultivate an environment that supports budding entrepreneurs as they launch small businesses in Greater Lafayette, IN.

This past year Ashley was selected as one of her local chamber of commerce's Top 10 Under 40 and as Volunteer of the Year for the Indiana Black Expo. In 2011 she was chosen as the Purdue Alumni Associations Outstanding Young Alumni award recipient, and in 2012 she started a group called the Black Professionals of Greater Lafayette hosted on meetup.com. Now over a year old, the group connects and celebrates black professionals living in and around the area. As a college student, Ashley created Purdue University's first black think tank, called the “Black Thought Collective“, an intellectual ensemble that was adopted and funded by the Black Cultural Center in fall 2008 and is still in operation today. Read more at about.me/ashleygscott and follow her on twitter @ashleygscott.

Elisa Camahort Page

Co-Founder & COO

BlogHer Inc

Elisa Camahort Page is one of the three co-founders of BlogHer, Inc., along with Lisa Stone and Jory Des Jardins. As COO of the company, Elisa leads the BlogHer conference business, including the BlogHer annual conference, which hosted more than 5,500 attendees in 2012. Elisa also leads the research/consumer insights division, as well as the company’s public relations and social media efforts. Prior to BlogHer, Elisa worked as a high-tech marketing executive and consultant.

Tobias Wright

Front End Web Developer

Victoria's Secret

William Crowder

Co-lead, Catalyst Fund

Comcast Ventures

William Crowder co-leads the Comcast Ventures Catalyst Fund, a $20M early stage venture fund focused on investing in diverse entrepreneurs. Established in 2011, the Catalyst Fund focuses on high potential businesses in the areas of enterprise, consumer, and mobile technologies.

In addition, William is a managing director at DreamIt Ventures where he works closely with DreamIt’s NYC and Philadelphia cycles, overseeing the DreamIt Access track. He is responsible for the operation of DreamIt Access; a partnership between DreamIt Ventures and Comcast to increase the number of minority-led startups.

With over 15 years of strategy and operations consulting experience; William has been an integral piece in the acquisition and integration of several technology-focused companies including TACODA, Third Screen Media, Quigo, Community Connect and Transaction Network Services, and remains a trusted advisor to senior executives at top media companies such as AOL, Thomson Reuters, Radio One, and Interactive One.

William holds an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and BS and MS degrees in Computer Science from North Carolina State University.