Here’s who’s overseeing broadband efforts in each state

The U.S. federal government has allocated a historic $42.5 billion for broadband expansion through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The funding is allocated to the states, which are responsible for awarding it via their own competitive grant processes. Click "Funding Amount" on the map and hover your mouse over each state to see the funding amounts.

With states poised to play such a critical role this year and beyond, Fierce took a closer look at who exactly will be overseeing broadband efforts in each state. You can scroll down or click "Details" on the map to jump to each state.

If you want to read all the Fierce Telecom stories about a particular state, just click on that state's name below.

The Fierce Telecom editorial team was proud to present its inaugural U.S. Broadband Summit from November 15-17, 2023 in Washington, D.C. And we're planning an even bigger and better Broadband Nation summit in Washington D.C. in November 2024.


Alabama

Maureen Neighbors  
Chief, Digital Expansion Division

Website: https://adeca.alabama.gov/broadband
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (334) 353-0767

Resources: 
Charter, Mediacom bag millions as Alabama awards $25M for broadband

 


Alaska

Thomas Lochner
Director, Office of Broadband

Lisa Von Bargen,
Senior Project Manager, Commissioner's Office

Website: https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/abo/Home.aspx
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (907) 660-7877

Resources: 
Alaska Communications, Quintillion to bring broadband to rural Northwest Alaska communities


Arizona

Jeff Sobotka
State broadband director

Sandip Bhowmick 
State assistant broadband director

Website: https://www.azcommerce.com/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (602) 542-3595

Resources: 
Google Fiber debuts 8-gig broadband in Mesa


Arkansas

Glen Howie
Director State Broadband office

Website: https://broadband.arkansas.gov/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (501) 682-7306

Resources: 
Five states snag $408M for broadband from Capital Projects Fund


California

Scott Adams
Broadband and Digital Literacy

Website: https://broadbandcouncil.ca.gov/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (916) 661-2511

Resources: 
UTOPIA inks MOU to give rural broadband an open access boost in California


Colorado

Brandy Reitter
Executive director, Colorado Broadband Office

Website: https://broadband.colorado.gov/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (303) 764-7700

Resources: 
Colorado broadband chief talks local deployment challenges, funding ops


Connecticut

Kevin Pisacich
Director, Office of Telecommunications and Broadband

Website:  https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Energy/Office-of-Telecommunications-and-Broadband/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (860) 827-2638

Resources: 
Five states snag $408M for broadband from Capital Projects Fund


Delaware

Roddy Flynn
Executive director Broadband Office

Tammy Shelton
Manager Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program

Website:  https://broadband.delaware.gov/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (302) 739-9701

Resources: 
5 states snag $29.5M in broadband planning grants from NTIA

Delaware broadband chief: 100/100 speeds are enough ‘for now’


Florida

Katie Smith
Director Broadband Office

Website:  https://www.floridajobs.org/community-planning-and-development/broadband/office-of-broadband
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (850) 717-8445

Resources: 
Comcast bags $45M as Florida dishes out $144M for broadband


Georgia

Josh Hildebrandt
Director Broadband Initiatives

Website:  https://gta.georgia.gov/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (404) 313-3465

Resources: 
Comcast, Charter win big as Georgia awards $234M for broadband expansion

5 states snag $29.5M in broadband planning grants from NTIA


Hawaii

Burt Lum
Strategy officer Hawaii Broadband Initiative

Website:  https://cca.hawaii.gov/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (808) 587-9001

Resources: 
Hawaiian Telcom: Adoption of 21 Mbps to 1 Gbps speeds grows 16.5%


Idaho

Ramón S. Hobdey-Sánchez
Manager Broadband Program

Website:  https://commerce.idaho.gov/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (833) 713-3272


Illinois

Matt Schmit
Director Office of Broadband

Website:  https://dceo.illinois.gov/connectillinois/ilofficeofbroadband.html
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (312) 814-7167


Indiana

Earnie Holtrey
Deputy director Indiana Broadband Office

Website:  https://www.in.gov/indianabroadband/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (317) 775-2660

Resources: 
Five states snag $408M for broadband from Capital Projects Fund

Indiana aims to keep local communities informed about BEAD


Iowa

Matt Behrens
CIO

Website:  https://ocio.iowa.gov/broadband
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (515) 725-0890


Kansas

Jade Piros de Carvalho
Director Office of Broadband Development

Website:  https://www.kansascommerce.gov/officeofbroadbanddevelopment/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (785) 296-3481


Kentucky

Meghan E. Sandfoss
Executive director Office of Broadband Development

Website:  https://broadband.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (502) 330-8713

Resources: 
Charter bags nearly $50M in grants for Kentucky broadband expansion

Kentucky grapples with broadband mapping, terrain hurdles


Louisiana

Veneeth Iyengar
Executive director ConnectLa

Website:  https://connect.la.gov/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (225) 219-7594

Resources: 
Louisiana releases BEAD proposal draft, digital equity plan


Maine

Andrew Butcher
President Maine Connectivity Authority

Website:  https://www.maineconnectivity.org/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (207) 370-7439

Resources: 
Maine’s rural landscape a catalyst for broadband deployment


Maryland

Kenrick M. Gordon
Director Office of Statewide Broadband

Website:  https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Broadband/Pages/default.aspx
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (301) 429-7436

Resources: 
Finding the money: A US broadband funding guide

Maryland broadband chief: ISPs won’t get BEAD money until 2025


Massachusetts

Michael Baldino
Director and general counsel Massachusetts Broadband Institute

Website:  https://broadband.masstech.org/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (508) 870-0312

Resources: 
MA, MI, WI score $435M for broadband grant programs


Michigan

Eric Frederick
Chief connectivity officer Michigan High-Speed Internet Office

Website:  https://www.michigan.gov/leo/bureaus-agencies/mihi
Email: [email protected]

Resources: 
MA, MI, WI score $435M for broadband grant programs

MI broadband chief: Only ‘one shot’ for universal broadband access


Minnesota

Bree Maki
Director Office of Broadband Development

Website:  https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (651) 259-7289

Resources: 
Minnesota broadband director talks weather and topography challenges, funding strategies


Mississippi

Sally Burchfield Doty
Director Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi

Website:  https://www.beam.ms.gov/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (601) 359-5029

Resources: 
Mississippi BEAD director credits electric co-ops for reaching rural


Missouri

BJ Tanksley
Director Office of Broadband Development

Website:  https://ded.mo.gov/content/broadband-development
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (573) 522-6261

Resources: 
i3 Broadband makes moves in Missouri with Big River buy, $100M investment

Missouri BEAD funds a testament to underserved population


Montana

Chad Rupe
Broadband Program Manager

Website:  https://connectmt.mt.gov/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]


Nebraska

Patrick Redmond
Interim director Broadband Office

Website:  https://broadband.nebraska.gov/Home
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (402) 471-4181

Resources: 
Nebraska broadband chief dishes on bureaucratic roadblocks for mapping, BEAD


Nevada

Brian Mitchell
Director, Office of Science Innovation and Technology and State Broadband Office

Website:  https://osit.nv.gov/Broadband/Broadband/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (775) 687-0988


New Hampshire

Mark Laliberte
Broadband project manager Office of Broadband Initiatives

Website:  https://www.nheconomy.com/about-us/office-of-broadband-initiatives
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (603) 271-6351


New Jersey

Joseph Rivera
Manager of Broadband Access

Website:  https://www.nj.gov/it/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (609) 322-9625


New Mexico

Drew Lovelace
Interim Broadband Director

Website:  https://www.doit.nm.gov/programs/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (505) 479-1093


New York

Rob Johnson
Project Manager ConnectALL

Website:  https://broadband.ny.gov/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (212) 803-3201

Resources: 
New York says 97% of the state has broadband – here’s where the gaps remain


North Carolina

Nate Denny
Deputy Secretary for Broadband and Digital Equity

Angie Bailey
Director Broadband Infrastructure Office

Website:  https://www.ncbroadband.gov/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (919) 397-2124; (919) 754-6690

Resources: 
Charter, Brightspeed snag broadband grants for 40 North Carolina counties

5 states snag $29.5M in broadband planning grants from NTIA


North Dakota

Duane Schell
CTO

Kevin Sievert
Program Director of Broadband Deployment

Website:  https://www.ndit.nd.gov/about-us/broadband
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (701) 328-4360


Ohio

Peter Voderberg
Chief BroadbandOhio

Website:  https://broadband.ohio.gov/home
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (614) 387-2114

Resources: 
Ohio ‘ahead of the game’ with broadband workforce training, says Lt. Gov


Oklahoma

Kirk Martin
Interim executive director Broadband Office

Website:  https://oklahoma.gov/broadband.html
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (405) 431-9237

Resources: 
BTC Broadband challenges AT&T, Cox Business with Tulsa, Oklahoma, fiber expansion


Oregon

Daniel Holbrook
Broadband Manager

Website:  https://www.oregon.gov/biz/programs/oregon_broadband_office/pages/default.aspx
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-877-7006


Pennsylvania

Brandon Carson
Executive director Broadband Development Authority

Website:  https://dced.pa.gov/programs-funding/broadband-in-pennsylvania/pennsylvania-broadband-development-authority/
Email: [email protected]

Resources: 
GA, PA, VA sound off on broadband funding challenges


Rhode Island

Brian Thorn
Director Broadband Strategy

Website:  https://commerceri.com/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (401) 278-9186

Resources: 
5 states snag $29.5M in broadband planning grants from NTIA


South Carolina

Jim Stritzinger
Director Broadband Office

Website:  https://ors.sc.gov/broadband/office
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (803) 737-8025

Resources: 
Comcast, AT&T bag big wins as S. Carolina awards $133M for broadband


South Dakota

Mike Waldner
Project manager Connect SD

Website:  https://sdgoed.com/partners/connectsd/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (605) 773-2483


Tennessee

Taylre Beaty
Broadband Program Director

Website:  https://www.tn.gov/ecd/rural-development/tnecd-broadband-initiative.html
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (615) 906-1057

Resources: 
Exclusive: Chattanooga mayor credits city utility for bolstering broadband


Texas

Greg Contre
Director Broadband Development Office

Website:  https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (512) 463-7611

Resources: 
Texas eyes creation of $5B Broadband Infrastructure Fund


Utah

Rebecca Dilg
Broadband Director

Website:  https://business.utah.gov/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (801) 538-8681


Vermont

Christine Hallquist
Executive director Vermont Community Broadband Board

Website:  https://publicservice.vermont.gov/vt-community-broadband-board-vcbb
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (802) 636-7853

Resources: 
Vermont anchors 100/100 broadband model, municipal approach


Virginia

Tamarah Holmes
Director Office of Broadband

Website:  https://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/broadband
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (804) 371-7056

Resources: 
GA, PA, VA sound off on broadband funding challenges


Washington

Mark Vasconi
Director Broadband Office

Website:  www.broadband.wa.gov
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (360) 918-1241

Resources: 
Washington state scores $196M in Capital Projects Funds


West Virginia

Kelly Workman
Director Office of Broadband

Website:  https://broadband.wv.gov/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (304) 352-4115

Resources: 
Bringing broadband to West Virginia is an uphill climb, experts say


Wisconsin

Alyssa Kenney
Director of broadband and digital equity Wisconsin Public Service Commission

Website:  https://psc.wi.gov/Pages/ServiceType/Broadband.aspx
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (608) 267-2160

Resources: 
Wisconsin governor seeks $750M for broadband as grant apps pile up


Wyoming

Elaina Zempel
Broadband Manager Wyoming Business Council

Website:  https://wyomingbusiness.org/communities/broadband/
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Phone: (307) 777-2802

Resources: 
Visionary Broadband thinks its FWA roots will boost $100M fiber plan