Norma Estela Fernandez
Chief Executive Officer
Norma E. Fernandez is the CEO of Everyone On, an organization at the forefront of closing the digital divide in America. Since joining Everyone On in 2013 to establish its presence in Los Angeles, Norma has spearheaded efforts leading to thousands of households gaining access to high-speed internet and developing comprehensive strategies to engage various sectors in digital inclusion initiatives. Her leadership saw a significant transformation when she took the helm as CEO in late 2019 and right as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged a few months later.
During her tenure, Norma has grown and diversified the board of directors, doubled the organization's staff, and has successfully raised over $10 million from diverse funding sources. Her strategic initiatives include the creation of Everyone On's first Digital Skills Academy, which has trained over 6,000 individuals and facilitated the distribution of thousands of computers to income-insecure households across the country, as well as launching Everyone On’s advocacy activities. These efforts have expanded Everyone On's influence beyond Los Angeles to the Bay Area and Milwaukee, and dozens of other cities across the country, in collaboration with major partners such as Best Buy, Capital One, and Microsoft, among many others.
With a rich background as an urban planner and community development advocate, Norma brings a unique and valuable perspective to the field of digital inclusion. She has uplifted community-focused digital inclusion programs and effective partnership models. Norma has been a featured speaker at prominent forums like Net Inclusion, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and other nationwide conferences, and served as a guest instructor with NTEN and the Aspen Institute Digital Equity Accelerator. Additionally, she has been interviewed by the LA Times, various NPR affiliated media outlets, TIME Magazine, Univision and others to share insights on addressing the digital divide through an equity lens. Norma also contributes her expertise to the Federal Communications Commission’s Communications Equity and Diversity Council.
Norma’s dedication to social justice and community empowerment is deeply personal, rooted in her experience as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, her journey as a first-generation college student, and an active volunteer over the years. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Chicano/a Studies, as well as a M.A. in Urban Planning from UCLA. Beyond her professional pursuits, Norma is passionate about living a full life with her family and friends. She’s also active in her community, having served on the board of the Chicano Youth Leadership Project, chair of the Pasadena Commission on the Status of Women, and most recently as a referee on her daughter’s AYSO soccer team.
Norma’s unwavering commitment to digital equity and social justice has earned her recognition as a 2024 Digital Equity Champion by the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance.