Kyla Williams Tate

Kyla Williams Tate is a visionary leader at the forefront of digital equity initiatives, currently serving as the inaugural Director of Digital Equity for Cook County Government in the Office of President Toni Preckwinkle. Under Kyla's leadership, Cook County launched its first-ever Digital Equity Action Plan and Digital Equity Map to advance its digital equity goals and create a growing and thriving digital equity ecosystem. In December 2023, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance selected Cook County as a Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer for its digital inclusion efforts.

Kyla was recently named a Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund Fellow as part of the Equitable Broadband in Urban America Research Group, a multi-city, multi-methods project that will offer actionable insights into how broadband in urban America can be improved and how state and federal policymakers, local governments, and digital equity champions can continue to build digital equity in these communities. She launched the Digital Determination Podcast as a deliverable of this fellowship, which examines how trust, digital discrimination, and digital adoption intersect among descendants of the Great Migration.

Prior to her role in government, Kyla excelled in various tech-focused positions, sharing her expertise in digital inclusion and advocacy. Her commitment to promoting digital literacy and expanding broadband access has transformed communities and enhanced opportunities for underserved populations. Before joining Cook County, Kyla worked for the Smart Chicago Collaborative, the implementation team for the City of Chicago's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).