Writers & Contributors
Writers & Contributors
Digitunity works with a respected group of researchers, scholars, practitioners, and thought leaders whose in-depth work sheds light on computer ownership, digital opportunity, and technology reuse systems. Their ideas cut through a range of subject areas, including education, the workforce, public health, philanthropy, and community development. These are areas critical to extending substantive access to computers and a pathway to their benefits. While Digitunity staff also author publications and insight pieces, this section highlights contributions from external partners whose writing has sharpened our understanding of large-screen device ownership, deployment, adoption, and the structural factors that influence the potential for individuals to fully participate in today’s digital economy.
Amy Gonzales, PhD
Associate Professor, UC Santa Barbara
Amy Gonzales is a communication scholar whose research explores the impact of computer ownership, especially short-term disruptions in device availability, on well-being, identity, and social connection, particularly among marginalized communities. As a contributor to Digitunity’s thought leadership, Amy has authored A Simple Guide for Conducting Nonprofit Evaluation for the Digital Equity Community , Policy Sectors that Inform Device Access, and Digital Inequalities, E-Waste, & Right to Repair. She also wrote Why Device Support is Critical and The Importance of Large Device Ownership, which examine the systemic factors that influence how individuals access, use, and benefit from computers. Our forthcoming interview with Amy on her latest research report, First-level fundamentals: computer ownership is more important for internet benefits than in-home internet service , will be released Summer of 2025.
Maribel Martinez
Owner and Principal, Maribel Martinez Consulting
Digital Adoption Strategy & Education
Maribel Martinez has been connecting people to technology in multiple languages for over 25 years. As an expert in digital adoption, enablement, and navigation since 2015, she has extensive experience in instructional design, K–12 education support, and community-focused tech training. Through her consulting practice, she provides computer efficiency programs across industries and demographics. Her report with Digitunity, Digital Navigators and the Device Divide: Community Voices from Seven U.S. Cities, delves into the real-life stories of the Digital Navigators as they assist communities with low levels of resource in procuring and using their computers competently.
Amy R. Sheon, PhD, MPH
President, Public Health Innovators, LLC
With a 30+ year career spanning public health, digital inclusion, and community engagement, Amy Sheon advises health systems, governments, and nonprofits on strategies to close the digital divide. Through her work with Digitunity, Amy has authored A Call for Collaboration Between the Health Sector and Digital Equity Organizations, as well as a three-part series: Consumer Technology for Health & Healthcare. Leveraging Healthcare for Digital Inclusion, and How Healthcare can Support Digital Equity, which explores how healthcare systems can be powerful channels for expanding digital access and opportunity.
Brian Whitacre, PhD
Professor and Neustadt Chair, Oklahoma State University
Brian Whitacre is a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Oklahoma State University, where he focuses on rural economic development and the role technology plays in shaping opportunity. A widely published researcher and Google scholar, Brian has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed articles and developed innovative outreach programs to help small towns benefit from digital tools. His contributions to Digitunity include the 2022 report Rural Communities & Digital Device Ownership, with a forthcoming update expected in June 2025.
To read more reports and publications from Digitunity and our network of contributors, please visit our Research & Reports page. For additional tools, guidance, and materials that support digital opportunity work across sectors, explore our Resource Hub and Knowledge Library. These platforms offer a growing collection of insights designed to inform, strengthen, and connect the field.
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