Lidia Stępińska-Ustasiak Ph.D.

Sociologist (PhD in sociology, 2017) focused on the social impact of technology, digital skills and implications of ICT for human and institutional capacity building. Co-author of reports, author of publications, lecturer and public speaker. Public Policy and Public Affairs Expert with more than 15 years of experience gathered in telecommunication and ICT sectors (T-Mobile, Orange and UPC Poland).

Worked also for a research institution as an analyst and sociologist at the Institute of Organisation and Management in Industry “Orgmasz”, and Interdisciplinary Center for Mathematical and Computational Modelling, University of Warsaw. Previously deputy director of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE), the regulator of the telecommunication and postal markets in Poland, in charge of the International Organizations Unit as well as the Social and Economic Cooperation Unit, responsible for collaboration with the United Nations agencies, OECD and other international organisations, UKE’s relations with chambers of commerce (NTAs), units of public administration and academic institutions. In 2019 Chairwoman of the Steering Committee of the International Telecommunication Union Centres of Excellence network of partners specialising in telecommunications and ICT training.

Since 2018 member of the Group on Capacity Building Initiatives, advising the Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau and appointed chairwoman in 2019.