Staff

Katie Hearn

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Katie Hearn

Director

As the director of DCTP, Katie brings a passion for big picture visioning and co-creation. A self-described “dial-up baby,” an interest in community wireless networks led her to the Detroit Digital Justice Coalition and the Detroit Digital Stewards community group, where she was moved by the promise of alternative digital futures.

She currently serves on the board of the Detroit Community Wealth Fund and the United Community Housing Coalition, and is a founding board member of the Detroit Kite Festival. If she’s not in a meeting, she is likely on a soccer field or a dance floor.

Headshot of Janice

Janice Gates

Director of EII

Janice has a background in program management, marketing and public relations, and communications. In her role as the Program Director for the Equitable Internet Initiative (EII), she works with anchor organizations in three neighborhoods of Detroit seeding community technology programing, including DCTP’s Digital Stewards training program.

Anderson

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Anderson Walworth

Chief Networking Engineer

Anderson has been working with Detroit Digital Stewards since 2011 and has been part of several AMP, DCTP, DDJC based community technology projects in Detroit. His current work focuses on wireless network design/build-out and Digital Steward training for DCTP's Equitable Internet Initiative.

Kristyn

headshot of Kristyn in front of a staircase, smiling and wearing a pink shirt with an orange, blue, and purple floral pattern

Kristyn Sonnenberg

Design and UX Lead

Kristyn has a background in UX research and design as well as web development. She is part of the communications team for DCTP, focusing on information design, graphic design and branding, and social media guides for the Equitable Internet Initiative. She is also responsible for design and development of DCTP’s website.

Shiva Shahmir

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Shiva Shahmir

IT Manager

Shiva Shahmir is an artist, creative organizer, A/V and HAM radio Technician. Shiva started her journey with Digital Stewardship at Grace in Action in Southwest Detroit at the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic where she became passionate about digital equity. As IT Manager at DCTP, she builds technology solutions and supports Equitable Internet Initiative Anchor Organization’s with purchasing equipment, as well as network design, monitoring and maintenance. Shiva also supports Digital Steward training and is working on adapting the Digital Steward curriculum to an online format.