Ricardo Reinoso, a Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs student pursuing a Master of Science in Urban Studies, was recently hired as Digital Equity and Inclusion Manager for the City of Cleveland. In this role, Reinoso will be responsible for leading and executing the City’s efforts to expand broadband access and adoption to advance Mayor Justin M. Bibb’s mission to permanently close the “digital divide” in Cleveland.

As Digital Equity and Inclusion Manager, Ricardo will manage projects, relationships, engagement strategies, and communications to facilitate a series of broadband-focused initiatives—namely, digital adoption, education, inclusion, access, and support.  He will work with diverse stakeholders and sectors in Cleveland—including government entities, nonprofit organizations, private industry, and the general public—to develop a digital equity and inclusion plan that ensures access to high-speed internet, access to devices, and digital literacy content for all residents. He will also work with regional partners such as state and local government entities, anchor institutions, philanthropic organizations, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, the Cleveland Public Library, and private enterprises to develop a regional approach to digital inclusion taking advantage of shared resources and economies of scale.

Ricardo has dedicated his life to inspiring people in a multitude of capacities from community engagement and neighborhood revitalization to assisting young immigrants in their pursuit of becoming actively engaged citizens. In 2020 he founded Cleveland Dinners, a grassroots non-profit organization in Northeast Ohio, that provides a safe space for an honest conversation about the state of race and equity in Cleveland and around the world. 

Before moving to Ohio, Ricardo lived in Washington DC where he worked at the International Monetary Fund and served in public office as a Neighborhood Commissioner. Born and raised in Tulsa, OK to Peruvian immigrants, Ricardo is a former disc jockey and MC, and a proud Eagle Scout fluent in both Spanish and French.