The Evolution of Open Source and Social Activism

About the Talk

This presentation will reveal the compelling case for social activism by technologists. Kathy Flint, Founder and CEO of Northbridge Technology Alliance, will present a deep dive into the unique history of the Free and Open Source (FOSS) movement, including the technological, business and cultural elements that have fostered its extraordinary success. We will survey the recent emergence of civic coding, revealing the startling opportunities for technologists to be influential in advancing social progress. We will hear first-hand from local community leaders about how volunteer-based technology efforts have increased their effectiveness and also from local coders who have enjoyed making significant impact in their communities by using their professional skills.

About the Speaker

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Kathy Flint (M.S. with honors, University of Chicago) is the founder and CEO of Northbridge Technology Alliance, a technology nonprofit based in the Chicago area. In 2013 Kathy shifted her professional focus from the corporate sector to the nonprofit sector in order to advance the level of technology resources that are available to social change-makers. Prior to the founding of Northbridge, Kathy served in a variety of corporate software leadership roles. Most recently she was positioned with U.S. Bancorp as Development Manager for Internet and Electronic Payments, where she led enterprise-scale software engineering efforts supporting $5 billion in electronic transactions annually. Northbridge Technology Alliance creates software solutions for charitable organizations who are engaged in social justice and community building efforts so that their collective impact is increased. We envision a world where technological innovation creates sustainable and forward-thinking solutions that address the hardest social problems facing humanity.