Dr. Christopher Ali

2025 Spring Summit Keynote - "From empathy to equity: Planning our connected future"

It has become almost a cliché in digital equity and inclusion conversations to meet our community members where they are. But what does this mean and how do we do it? Drawing from research into community experiences and stories, this keynote will focus on how empathy plays a crucial role in digital equity work and how it should be a crucial aspect of public policy as well. From digital literacy classes to affordability programs to device access and support, communities across the country are leading the way in implementing digital equity and inclusion efforts. While they may be paving the roads of digital equity, however, communities are not in the driver’s seat when it comes to public policy. Flipping the script, and by highlighting community stories and experiences, this keynote will talk about how to elevate digital empathy and digital care from communities to policymakers and back again. 

Dr. Christopher Ali is the Pioneers Chair in Telecommunications and Professor of Telecommunications in the Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State University. He holds a Ph.D. in communication studies from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania (2013). He is the author of the book Farm Fresh Broadband: The politics of rural connectivity. A nationally-acknowledged expert on broadband deployment, policy and planning, Dr. Ali was called to testify before the US Senate Commerce Committee in 2021 on broadband funding and policy programs. His writing on broadband and communication policy has been published in The New York Times, The Hill, Realtor Magazine, Law & Political Economy, Digital Beat, GovTech, Zocalo Public Square, Washington Monthly, Columbia Journalism Review, and The Conversation. Dr. Ali is currently working on a new book tentatively titled If these maps could talk: Takes from the digital divide, which will focus on how community-based stories and experiences can and should drive broadband and digital equity policy conversations at the local, state, and federal levels.