Dr. Nicol Turner Lee Returns to Washington Literacy Center Board of Directors

The Washington Literacy Center (WLC) today announced that Nicol Turner Lee, Ph.D., has rejoined its Board of Directors. Turner Lee previously served on the WLC board until her term ended in 2018 and returns at a moment when her research on artificial intelligence and digital access for low-income communities lines up closely with WLC's work. She is a leading AI and digital equity expert, and her work has focused on the intersection of technology, access, and social justice to advance more equitable technology access.

"Nicol recruited me to lead this organization more than ten years ago, so having her back on our board is personal as much as it is strategic. Her work on AI and digital access speaks directly to what our learners are up against today, and this board is stronger with her on it," said Jimmie Williams, President and CEO of the Washington Literacy Center.

"Nicol's work has always centered the people technology leaves behind. That's exactly the lens our board needs as digital skills become as fundamental as reading and math," said Candace Cunningham, Board Chair of the Washington Literacy Center.

Turner Lee's research has shaped national and global conversations on the digital divide and the design of artificial intelligence. In 2023, she launched the AI Equity Lab at the Brookings Institution, where she also serves as the Director of the Center for Technology Innovation, to advance inclusive and ethical AI systems in the United States and across the Global South. She is the author of Digitally Invisible: How the Internet Is Creating the New Underclass (2024) and has been a contributor to the Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, PBS Newshour, and Politico, among other outlets. She has also served on several federal advisory bodies, including the Federal Communications Commission’s former Communications, Equity, and Diversity Council, where she was vice chair, and the former U.S. Department of Homeland Security's AI Safety Board.

Turner Lee holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in sociology from Northwestern University and a B.A. from Colgate University.

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About the Washington Literacy Center

The Washington Literacy Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of adults in the District of Columbia through literacy, numeracy, digital skills, and workforce development. WLC serves adults who have been historically underserved by traditional education systems, helping them build the skills and confidence needed to pursue further education, secure meaningful employment, and support their families.

For more information, visit washlit.org or contact info@washlit.org or call (202) 984-0000.