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Judy Cutts
West Bolivar Elementary
Principal
Rosedale, MS

Judy Cutts has served as principal of West Bolivar Elementary School in Rosedale, MS for the past 6 years. Judy began her career in the education field over 30 years ago as an assistant teacher. After receiving a BS in elementary education from Delta State University, she was employed as a classroom teacher in the West Bolivar School District at West Bolivar Elementary School, where she has remained for 23 years. Judy has continued her educational pursuits during these years, receiving a Master's Degree in Elementary Education and Educational Administration and Leadership.

Judy has served on many district and state committees, and has trained teachers as a state trainer for staff development modules in Effective School Research and Howard Garner's Multiple Intelligences Theory. She has served as a mentor for the Mississippi Leadership Mentor program and Delta State University's Educational Leadership Program. Judy also serves as a member of the West Bolivar School District Grant Writers Team, and is currently a member of Phi Delta Kappa and Mississippi Professional Educators.


Allison Farber
University of Maryland
Intergenerational Design Team at the Human-Computer Interaction Lab
Faculty Research Assistant
College Park, MD

Allison Farber is a faculty research assistant who works with two intergenerational design teams at the Human-Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL) at the University of Maryland. One design team consists of seven children, ages seven to eleven, and adults with expertise in education, computer science, psychology, engineering, art and biology. The other team consists of several adults and a kindergarten class at the Center for Young Children at the University of Maryland. Allison designs software and hardware interfaces for children. She has a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland and has extensive visual design experience that she contributes to the HCIL in projects ranging from digital libraries to storytelling robots.


Cindy Gillis
NetDay
Web Initiatives
Research Expert
Long Beach, CA

Cindy Gillis has been a member of the NetDay team for over 2 years, serving as the grants and funding researcher for NetDayCompass.org, as well as a volunteer and special events coordinator. In addition to her work with NetDay, Cindy serves on the Executive Board of Rick Rackers, an auxiliary of the Assistance League of Long Beach, as well as the Executive Board of the PTA at her children's school. She raises funds and coordinates activities for The Bethune School for Homeless Children, and has served on the Board of Directors for Junior League, both in Long Beach, CA. Cindy has many past work experiences as well: she has worked as an Assistant Auditor, a Budget/Financial Analyst, an Educational Software Consultant, a Technology Coordinator for an elementary school, and finally, an educational technology trainer.

Cindy graduated in 1983 with a BS in Business Administration: Concentration Information Systems from the University of Lowell (now University of Massachusetts at Lowell).


Steven Glyer
Newport-Mesa Unified School District
Director, Educational Technology
Costa Mesa, CA

Steven Glyer has spent the last 3 years as the Director of Educational Technology for Newport-Mesa Unified School District in Costa Mesa, CA. In this role, Steve is responsible for orchestrating how best to leverage our investments in technology for improved student learning. Currently, Steve is working to implement a pilot project at two elementary schools where the district will be deploying computers into students' homes and developing web based learning experiences for students. He has helped to create the Orange County Technology Foundation, a non-profit organization responsible for raising funds for district technology needs, and has worked closely with other important non-profit organizations such as NetDay and TECH CORPS California. Other important projects include the development of standards for the district's High School Technology Graduation Requirement, and coordinating district-wide task force to rewrite the District Technology Plan.

Prior to his current role, Steve worked as a National Director of Marketing for Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc. (part of the Pioneer family of companies); an Educational Sales Consultant for Apple Computer; and a Media Specialist. Steve began his career as a classroom teacher.


Michael A. Goldstein
MATCH - Media and Technology Charter High School
Executive Director and Founder
Brookline, MA

Michael A. Goldstein is the founder and executive director of the Media and Technology Charter High (MATCH) School. A former journalist, Michael contributed to many publications, including Business Week, Vogue, the Los Angeles Times Magazine, and New York Magazine, and led various research studies, like an examination of theater education programs for the Theatre Development Fund. He has a master's degree in education policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He has taught, tutored, and coached teenagers in various capacities; serves on the National Advisory Board for www.uscharterschools.org; and decompresses on the basketball court at the slightest opportunity.


Dr. Brent Hales
Delta State University
Delta State University Community Development & Sociology
Professor of Community Development
Cleveland, MS

Dr. Hales is an assistant professor of sociology and community development at Delta State University. He is currently serving as the graduate coordinator for the Masters of Science in Community Development program. He has been involved in the promotion of technology for economic development since 1996 and has authored several publications examining the role of telecommunications technologies in community and economic development in rural areas.

Dr. Hales' current research is examining the role of demand aggregation of telecommunications technologies in promoting service provision in rural areas. He recently completed a survey of Cleveland, MS wherein 400 residences, 50 businesses, 15 teachers from various schools in the community, 11 libraries, 15 farmers, and 15 community government persons were asked to participate in the study. From this, 189 residents, 22 businesses, 9 teachers, 11 libraries, 8 farmers, and 10 government personnel actually participated in the study. General findings were reported back to the community and are currently being prepared for publication as a viable case study in demand aggregation.

Dr. Hales is also working with the Mississippi Technology Alliance, The Institute for Technology Development, The Enterprise Corporation of the Delta, Bell South, and other interested parties to promote the development of rural service provision in the Mississippi Delta region. As part of this effort, he spearheaded the development of a three-day workshop designed to educate Delta residents on the opportunities available to them in this area. Day one of the workshop focused on electronic government, day two on e-commerce and the use of telecommunications technologies in the classroom, and the third was a technology fair that highlighted the service, application, and support providers in the region. Dr. Hales is also currently working on a book examining the best practices for community connectivity, which he hopes to publish in the next year.


Laurel Lipsick
NetDay
Web Initiatives
Research Expert
Stanford, CA

Laurel Lipsick has been involved in the field of educational computing for over 17 years. She works with K-12 school staff in promoting the use of broadcast media and the Internet in the classroom. She is particularly interested in the use of collaborative and distance learning projects within the K-12 environment. At NetDay, she has been a key member in the development and growth of NetDayCompass. She holds an M.S. in Educational Technology from SUNY Stony Brook.


Judith D. S. VanBerg
Mercedes Jr. High School
Mercedes Jr. High School Tech Dome librarian
Mercedes Jr. High
Mercedes, TX

Judith Venberg has spent the last 5 years working as a librarian at Mercedes Junior High School in Mercedes, TX. Prior to her current role, she taught earth sciences for 10 years, conducted field studies with a professor of anthropology, and spent time working in the field of epidemiology at the Texas Tech School of Medicine.

Judy holds a bachelor's degree in Natural Sciences as well as a degree in Medical Technology from the University of Texas at Austin. She has also completed teacher certification courses at the University of Texas Pan American, with a focus on teaching gifted children and geology. In 1997, she received a Master's Degree in Library Science from Sam Houston State University.