Christine
Burkette
Director of Digital Equity & Inclusion at City Detroit - Department of Innovation & Technology
"Throwing A Dart In the Dark! Hoping You Hit Something!"
"Throwing A Dart In the Dark! Hoping You Hit Something!"
23 - 10:10 AM EDT/New York (See in local time)
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05/23/2026 10:10 AM
05/23/2026 10:30 AM
America/New_York
#WTGC2026
"Throwing A Dart In the Dark! Hoping You Hit Something!"
#WTGC2026
"Throwing A Dart In the Dark! Hoping You Hit Something!"
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https://www.womentech.net/ringcentral
"Throwing A Dart In the Dark! Hoping You Hit Something!"
"Throwing A Dart In the Dark! Hoping You Hit Something!"
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Session: Throwing A Dart In the Dark! Hoping You Hit Something!
Title: Throwing A Dart In the Dark! Hoping You Hit Something!What: Urban City Data Collection
How: Driving Decision Making in Urban Cities To Bridge the Digital Divide, While Measuring Impact In-Real TIme?
Understanding the population we serve in urban cities are at or below poverty. So collecting accurate data points can be challenging. Limiting how we drive decision making to make positive change. Remove the concept of throwing a dart in the dark and hoping it hits something! Something we can measure to make measurable positive change in the neighborhoods that need it the most. As technology advances black and brown populations are being left behind and the questions remains is it access, financial disadvantages, limited digital skills or interest?
Question 1: What impact are black and brown populations making on the tech industry? from IT starts, inventors to tech jobs.
Question 2: Are minority owned tech companies given the same opportunities for funding as non minority companies?
Key Takeaways
- Better understanding of how to collect data in a urban city
- What technology can be used to engage the community and work collaboratively with community organizations, municipalities and non profits
- Bringing awareness to the challenges black and brown tech starts up face
- Motivating participants to think outside of the box when develop strategies to solve a bigger obstacles impacting expected outcomes
Bio
Christine is the CEO of PICF, Inc. the only female black owned IT consulting firm in Michigan. She is also the CEO of Michigan Youth STEM, Tech Aeronautic (501C3) a nonprofit focused on providing K12 students, specifically girls with exposure to AI, STEM and the latest technology career training. In her role as the Director of Digital Equity & Inclusion with the City of Detroit. She has designed and rolled out city wide digital equity strategies and resources focused on bridging the digital divide. Her latest project was captured nationally with the launch of the “City of Detroit Certified Tech Hubs”. This project provides residents at or below poverty access to digital equity resources that will influence our future tech contributors and leaders. In her previous role is the CIO of DPSCD she focused on providing students with access to the latest technology, by launching 1:1 classroom prior to COVID. Over the past 10 years Christine has been a tech industry leader speaking at the Women of Color in Tech Conference (WOC), CDAO Conference, Michigan Digital Government Summit 2023, Code 313 S.T.E.A.M Slam Michigan School Tour, C313 Digital Equity Week, and local tech conferences/summits.