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).