Tracy LaQuey Parker
Education Market Development Manager, Cisco Systems

Tracy LaQuey Parker is truly a connected leader in the burgeoning networking marketplace. Her overriding mission is to thoroughly mix networking benefits with sound education principles. By combining technology and education issues, Tracy has became a pioneer individual member of the Internet Society where she represents Cisco Systems on the Internet Society's Advisory Board.

A spirit for free-flying adventure surrounded Tracy during her childhood. She was born in Newfoundland, Canada, and grew up in Chicago and Fort Worth. Her father, a fighter pilot, would teach her all about flying which sparked TracyÕs interest in gaining a pilotÕs license at 19. Tracy also performed feats on the ground as a gymnast during her high school years. Coupling these interests was her intense interest in science, computers and communications. While her friends were buying Teen magazine she purchased Omni. Tracy figured someday soon everything would be touched by computers. By being one of the few science-focused women in her school, she placed into advanced computer courses and graduated as the Valedictorian of her high school class.

This drive (or flight) helped direct her towards an education at the University of Texas Austin where she also joined the University of Texas Computation Center as a Network Information Specialist. Tracy also worked with the University of Texas System Office of Telecommunication Services, assisting in the development of the Texas Higher Education Network (THEnet), and the statewide K-12 Texas Education Network (TENET). She helped expand the role of technology in education through representing THEnet in national and international organizations, including the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and the Federation of American Research Networks (FARNET) where she served as Treasurer.

By pursing the Internet though education, work and a profession, Tracy has played an integral role in the Internet user and development community since 1988. She then broke into a new field as author for "The User's Directory of Computer Networks," published by Digital Press (1990), and the 1st (1992) and 2nd (1994) editions of "The Internet Companion: A Beginner's Guide to Global Networking" published by Addison-Wesley. "The Internet Companion: A Beginner's Guide to Global Networking" features a foreword by Vice President Al Gore and is a best seller worldwide -- the book is available Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, and French, in addition to being adapted for the European Community ("The European Internet Companion").

Tracy joined Cisco Systems in January 1993, and today serves an Education Market Development Manager, spearheading a number of Internet and educational networking projects, including the International Schools Cyberfair '96. She frequently gives keynotes, seminars and presentations about Internet and educational networking related topics in the U.S. and internationally. In the past year she has been profiled in OnTheInternet (a publication of the Internet Society), The Australian (Australia's national newspaper), and Tecno 2000 (a Spanish technology publication). She was also featured on the cover of the Japanese Asahi Pasocon technology magazine.

Due to her worldwide travel experience, she recently won the "Woman on the Move" contest sponsored by Wyndham Hotels, American Airlines and Liz Claiborne. Her husband keeps her grounded on occasion to play piano.