Christyl Johnson, Executive Director of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), delivered a striking keynote to the African American Women’s Technology Caucus this morning on Capitol Hill.  NSTC was established under the Clinton Administration and works aggressively to coordinate the country’s science and technology objectives across the federal government.

Johnson illuminated the power of broadband in many aspects of women’s lives.  She walked attendees through the many ways that broadband enables innovation to meet our nation’s challenges, particularly for women, in the areas of health care, the environment, and creating economic opportunity.

Johnson expressed sincere concern for the people in our nation who choose not to adopt broadband when they have access, especially as the cost of digital exclusion is growing.  She is calling for creative ways to reach out to communities to demonstrate value and implications of adopting broadband, which inspired a dynamic discussion among participants around driving demand through public/private partnerships, digital literacy programs, and online safety education.

Even though it will take support from the American people, Johnson is proud of the accomplishments of the White House in moving broadband to the forefront in the following ways:

• Called for a National Broadband Strategy
• Established a Chief Technology Officer in the White House, Aneesh Chopra
• Hired an FCC Commissioner and rural broadband expert at USDA
• Made broadband a key component of the economic stimulus package

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