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Last Day to Submit Nominations for the 2025 Maryland Digital Equity Champion Awards

Author: Julie Slivka, Communications Manager

Sep 8, 2025

The annual Digital Equity Champion Awards serve as a mechanism for engagement and capacity building, elevating the role of digital navigators, practitioners, educators, teachers, and direct service providers in Maryland’s digital equity ecosystem. These awards will be presented at the 2025 Digital Opportunity Summit on October 15, 2025. Winning nominees will be provided a free ticket to the event to receive their award. 

 

September 8th is the last day to nominate a Maryland Digital Equity Champion

2025 Nominee Categories

1) Navigator Champion
Recognizes an outstanding digital navigator—someone who provides direct, hands-on digital inclusion support and guidance to individuals in Maryland communities (e.g., helping with devices, connectivity, digital skills, or accessing essential services).

2) Practitioner Champion
Honors an individual (other than a navigator) who has shown exceptional leadership, advocacy, teaching, or capacity-building in digital equity. This may include educators, program managers, policy advocates, or coalition leaders.

3) Program Champion
Celebrates a program, initiative, or organization that demonstrates exceptional impact, innovation, and sustainability in advancing digital equity.

4) Workforce Champion
Recognizes a partner, organization, or initiative that actively advances digital skills and job-readiness training to help Maryland residents thrive in the digital economy. 

Nominees must demonstrate:

  • Cultivation of Community: Building community through digital opportunities and fostering inclusion.
  • Innovation: Creative approaches to addressing and solving digital inequities.
  • Dedication: Commitment to serving communities and target populations most in need of digital inclusion services.
  • Leadership & Collaboration: Leadership, collaboration, and a willingness to share best practices with other digital inclusion service providers.
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Centering DEI principles in their work.
  • Use of Data & Evaluation: Using data and evaluation to shape digital inclusion programs and share best practices.
  • Sustainability & Replicability: Engaging in sustainable work that can be scaled and replicated by others.

 

Past Maryland Digital Equity Champion Winners

2024 Maryland Digital Equity Champions

Digital Harbor Foundation

Digital Harbor Foundation is a Baltimore-based nonprofit dedicated to creating pathways to opportunity by promoting digital equity, diversity in the tech sector, innovative STEM education, and technology for the public good. Their reach has grown from just Baltimore City to now extending around the United States and internationally. Jade Burnham, Director of AmeriCorps Services at Digital Harbor Foundation, and Andrew Coy, CEO and President of Digital Harbor Foundation, accepted the 2024 Maryland Digital Equity Champion Award on behalf of the Digital Harbor Foundation.

Prince George's County Memorial Library System

The Prince George's County Memorial Library System (PGCMLS) has experienced profound success in helping immigrants and refugee communities bridge the digital divide. By leveraging strategic partnerships, the organization has been able to offer digital literacy programs in multiple languages at various locations, both in-person and virtually. PGCMLS staff Maribel Rodriguez, Bilingual Program and Outreach Associate, and Lailuma Social, Digital Literacy Program Manager and Educator, accepted the award on behalf of Prince George’s County Memorial Library System

Betsy Simon, BDS Healthy Aging Networks, Inc.

Betsy Simon, CEO and Founder of BDS Healthy Aging Network, is a tireless advocate for digital equity and inclusion, particularly for older adults.  The program's platform has helped older adults access information, resources, and opportunities to engage with technology, helping to ensure that older adults have a voice in the digital ecosystem.

Notable Mentions: Colby Davis Jr. and Jerry Price

Read more about the winners of the 2024 Maryland Digital Equity Champions

 

2023 Maryland Digital Equity Champions

Montgomery Connects

Montgomery Connects is a program operated by the Montgomery County Department of Technology and Enterprise Business Solutions with the goal of ensuring every resident and business has the opportunity to join the digital world. They do this by providing computer devices, tech training, affordable internet, and public Wi-Fi access. Program Director Mitsuko Herrera accepted the award on behalf of the program.

Habacuc Pation, Rebirth HEART BEATZ

An after-school community resource, technology, learning, and support center for the immigrant and the vulnerable population of Wicomico County.

Ethel Rasmussen

Leader of the successful digital inclusion program at the Baltimore County Department of Aging. 

Notable Mention: Alexandra Houff, Baltimore County Public Library

 

About the 2025 Maryland Digital Opportunity Summit

The  2025 Maryland Digital Opportunity Summit will bring together cross-sector leaders to accelerate broadband access, digital skills development, and economic opportunity for all Marylanders. This year’s summit will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at the Silver Spring Civic Building. Learn more.

Sponsor the 2025 Summit

Sponsoring the 2025 Maryland Digital Opportunity Summit positions your organization as a key leader in Maryland’s digital equity movement. There are five sponsorship tiers to choose from, with additional opportunities available—including lunch sponsorship, branded charging stations, sponsoring a breakout session or networking events, and co-branded swag items. These add-ons can be applied to any sponsorship tier on a first-come, first-served basis.

Additional information about the summit, goals, and sponsorship tiers can be found in the Sponsorship Package. Please email Nerice Milet-Williams for additional information.

 

2025 Digital Opportunity Summit

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