Photography by Martha Williams
“Throughout my 30-year career, I’ve watched technology and connectivity become one of the most critical enablers in our everyday lives,” says Christine Whitaker, president of Comcast’s Central Division. High-speed internet allows people to connect with their loved ones, learn new digital skills, work remote jobs, and have access to telehealth, making it essential for navigating the modern-day world. “Connections to people and our communities became crucial when Covid-19 came into our lives,” she says. “We quickly realized that access to fast, reliable high-speed internet was a necessity rather than a luxury.”
Whitaker has made it her mission at Comcast to increase Atlanta’s reputation as a booming technological hub, specifically serving at-need communities with more widespread broadband access and providing free internet services to millions of low-income individuals. She helps oversee the Comcast program Lift Zones, which operates 25 community centers with Wi-Fi and training programs for digital education. Whitaker also leads the company in a wide range of community service programs with Goodwill of North Georgia and Historically Black Colleges and Universities, plus their major sponsorship of CodePath—a career center to help people become trained and mentored in technology skills. Another key partnership is with the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, helping to grow and develop Black entrepreneurs.
Whitaker’s pivotal role as a board member on the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce is key to her success, thanks to strong relationships she has built with other influential leaders in Atlanta. “With the Central Division headquartered in Atlanta, our investments root our commitment to the community,” Whitaker says. “I’m proud to lead in an industry that’s connecting our customers to life’s most important and memorable moments.”
