BelindaLopez
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About
I am a Learning Designer/Curriculum Developer/Educational Technology Consultant. I teach people how to teach things. My hometown is Baytown, Texas and I currently live in Galveston, Texas. I travel extensively, willing to go at the drop of a hat, any hat. I have also lived in Marina Del Rey, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Los Angeles, California, as well as Austin, Texas and Wellington, New Zealand. I have a need to be by the water, preferably an ocean with a view of the sunrise/sunset.
I've been following the Ubuntu project for over a year. I was drawn into the project by the potential to use Ubuntu in education and learning environments. For the past decade I've been involved in creating innovative learning solutions for everyone from preschoolers to astronauts. You can view my resume for lots of wordy details at http://www.belindalopez.com/cv.html
I am known as "Dinda" by my Grandmother. When I was a wee child I could not pronounce my own name so I deemed myself dinda and the nickname remains.
Launchpad: https://launchpad.net/people/dinda
IRC(freenode): dinda
Email: dinda [at] mac [dot] com
Involvement
Official
Attended UbuntuDeveloperSummitParis
Attended UbuntuDeveloperSummitMountainView
- Ubuntu Women's Project - initiated IRC Meetup day and now we have regular meetings and several projects underway. The group has become much more active and the CC has granted our request to have more website and Launchpad Admins. We have initiated several new projects including an upcoming membership drive the week of March 8.
- Marketing Team - Occasional contributor to mailing list
LoCoTeams - helped round up folks for the Houston, Texas area Loco meeting, making plans to help merge all Texas Teams and scheduling more regular meetings
- Participated in the pilot for Ubuntu Systems Admin course in Geneva - it was cold!
- Created wiki pages on HCI Resouces
- Began exploring creation of an HCI Team, working with Ubun2design and Artwork/Desktop Teams
- More to come including working with Ubuntu Education and Training projects
- Traveled to the Ubucon in NYC on 16 Feb 2007.
- Developed and submitted two proposals for the Ubuntu Live conference with help from members of the Ubuntu Women's Project.
- Was invited to speak at the Spanish Ubucon on the Ubuntu Women's Project
Non-Official
Spent the past year teaching myself everything I can learn about F/OSS, Ubuntu and ways to be involved in the community. I am very interested in using Ubuntu in educational settings and putting together presentations for decision makers. Made contact with several educators through the Texas Computer Educators Association who have just started a F/OSS Sig. I have been sending them regular Ubuntu reports. I have began planting the seeds for F/OSS discussions with several educational technology leaders. Many in the field are reporting that their teachers are now coming to them to ask them questions about various FOSS offerings! They(district level technology coordinators) are now actively looking for more information and very interested in learning more about security and the development process. In particular they are interested in Moodle, Sakai and large scale deployments of laptops(20k and more) in the schools.
The Future
I'm in the process of transitioning myself from my current consulting role to a "F/OSS" educational technology consultant. I'm hoping to continue promoting Ubuntu in several local school districts and helping to get decision makers the information they need to start investigating FOSS alternatives.
Cheers from the Community
Although I have not worked with Belinda extensively, she has shown commitment and dedication to community that has impressed me, largely within the LoCo project, Training Pilot and Ubuntu women. -- JonoBacon
Same feelings as Jono above with the addition that Dinda has worked with Ubuntu's Education and Training projects and has gone out of her way to participate in Ubuntu events (most recently I saw her at Ubucon NYC). Above all, I find myself returning to her dedication and enthusiasm to Ubuntu and F/OSS. +1 -- [wiki:JoeyStanford Joey Stanford]