Senator Ritchie Shows How to Be in Two Places at Once

Demonstrates Skype At Technology Symposium At Clarkson

State Senator Patty Ritchie showed business, education and government leaders at the North Country Technology Symposium how Skype can help someone be in two places at once.

By using emerging technologies like Skype, the North Country state senator was able to speak at the Potsdam symposium at Clarkson University Wednesday while working out of her senate office in Albany.

Senator Ritchie was honored at the symposium with its "SPIRIT Award" for her pioneering work in using emerging technologies and social media to communicate with her constituents across Central and Northern New York.

During the opening presentation, she answered questions about how she has used on-line petitions, on-line surveys, Facebook, her Senate website, and e-mails to connect to the people she represents across St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Oswego counties.

She told symposium participants that even in rural upstate New York, they can use the same technologies to communicate and build relationships with their customers to compete in the global economy.

The symposium, sponsored by the St. Lawrence County's Information Technology Advisory Board, along with its partners, CITEC, Clarkson University, the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, St. Lawrence Lewis Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Development Authority of the North Country sponsored the event.

Photo

Senator Patty Ritchie is shown during her "virtual" appearance Wedenesday morning at Clarkson University at the North Country Technology Symposium where she spoke from Albany but used "skype" to allow her to talk to the 200 business, education, not for profit and government leaders about how she uses new technologies and social media to communicate with her constituents across the three county region she represents. She is shown during a two way interview with her Communications Director Jim Reagen and Clarkson University President Tony Collins. (Photo by Heather Liebfred)