3 Questions with Suzanne DePoe
Native Affiliation: The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Oregon, Tututni, Southern Cheyenne, Ojibway
Suzanne (she/her) is a Test Engineer at Google Kirkland, Washington.
1. What’s a challenge you’ve faced?
Keeping up with the pace of how quickly technology is evolving.
2. What’s something you’re really proud of?
A project called “Wifi for Celilo Village and Schoolhouse,” which brought WiFi to 16 homes in Celilo Village and connected its longhouse, schoolhouse, and pumphouse to the network.
The Celilo Village is a well-known Native fishing and trade village that has existed for over 11,000 years on the Columbia River. Together with the Dufur School District Superintendent, Village Representative, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Dalles Data Center, and Gorge Networks, we got permission to install a repeater [WiFi extender] on the Washington side of the Columbia River, all the way to the Village’s water tower on the Oregon side. We requested the Dufur School District, responsible for the schoolhouse, to work with us on grant writing and the Gorge Network to contract networking. A Google grant provided each home in the Village a Chromebook, and the schoolhouse was renovated with new furniture, additional Chromebooks, and a printer. Preparing residents for the internet took some thought; terms like “cloud” and “hotspots” can be daunting. So, I put together a booklet for each resident noting the contract length (3 years), who to call if problems occur, and site addresses for Google Applications so they could explore what Google has to offer.
It was an amazing undertaking, but we proved it can be done. Students can now come home from school and do homework online. Working with Google on this grant and helping provide internet to Celilo Village has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.
3. What’s something on your mind this Native American Heritage Month?
I reflect on my ancestors. My great-grandparents were leaders of our Native people, teaching from the late 1800’s into the early 1900’s. I see myself now carrying on what they started — providing access to information. The only difference today is that the information is technology.
I ask myself, “How can I help expand access to all?” I have some great ideas, and I’m looking forward to seeing them through, especially as Google provides opportunities for them to happen. I feel grateful to have access to Google’s resources and to be able to inspire others within the company to keep the conversation active.
