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: Maureen.Neighbors@adeca.alabama.gov
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: lisa.vonbargen@alaska.gov
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: JeffS@AZCommerce.com;
sandipb@azcommerce.com
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: Glen.Howie@ArkansasEDC.com;
broadband@arkansas.gov
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: Scott.adams@state.ca.gov;
CABroadbandCouncil@state.ca.gov
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: Brandy.Reitter@state.co.us
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: Kevin.pisacich@ct.gov
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: tammy.shelton@delaware.gov;
Broadband@delaware.gov
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: Katie.Smith@deo.myflorida.com
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: joshua.hildebrandt@gta.ga.gov
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: Burt.q.lum@hawaii.gov;
broadband@dcca.hawaii.gov
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: Ramon.hobdeysanchez@commerce.idaho.gov;
broadband@commerce.idaho.gov
Phone: (833) 713-3272
Illinois
Matt Schmit
Director Office of Broadband
Website: https://dceo.illinois.gov/connectillinois/ilofficeofbroadband.html
Email: Matt.schmit@illinois.gov;
broadband@illinois.gov
Phone: (312) 814-7167
Indiana
Earnie Holtrey
Deputy director Indiana Broadband Office
Website: https://www.in.gov/indianabroadband/
Email: eholtrey@ocra.in.gov
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: matt.behrens@iowa.gov
Phone: (515) 725-0890
Kansas
Jade Piros de Carvalho
Director Office of Broadband Development
Website: https://www.kansascommerce.gov/officeofbroadbanddevelopment/
Email: jade.piros@ks.gov
Phone: (785) 296-3481
Kentucky
Meghan E. Sandfoss
Executive director Office of Broadband Development
Website: https://broadband.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx
Email: meghan.sandfoss@ky.gov
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: Veneeth.lyengar@la.gov;
connect@la.gov
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: info@maineconnectivity.org;
abutcher@maineconnectivity.org
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: Kenrick.Gordon@Maryland.gov
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: baldino@masstech.org;
broadband@masstech.org
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: Fredericke1@michigan.gov
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: bree.maki@state.mn.us
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: Sally.Doty@beam.ms.gov;
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: bj.tanksley@ded.mo.gov
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: chad.rupe@mt.gov;
ConnectMTInfoRequests@ctnet.us
Nebraska
Patrick Redmond
Interim director Broadband Office
Website: https://broadband.nebraska.gov/Home
Email: patrick.redmond@nebraska.gov
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: blmitchell@gov.nv.gov
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: mark.j.laliberte@livefree.nh.gov;
broadband@livefree.nh.gov
Phone: (603) 271-6351
New Jersey
Joseph Rivera
Manager of Broadband Access
Website: https://www.nj.gov/it/
Email: joseph.rivera@bpu.nj.gov
Phone: (609) 322-9625
New Mexico
Drew Lovelace
Interim Broadband Director
Website: https://www.doit.nm.gov/programs/broadband/
Email: broadband@connect.nm.gov
Phone: (505) 479-1093
New York
Rob Johnson
Project Manager ConnectALL
Website: https://broadband.ny.gov/
Email: robert.johnson@esd.ny.gov
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: nate.denny@nc.gov;
angie.bailey@nc.gov
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: dschell@nd.gov;
broadband@nd.gov
Phone: (701) 328-4360
Ohio
Peter Voderberg
Chief BroadbandOhio
Website: https://broadband.ohio.gov/home
Email: peter.voderberg@development.ohio.gov;
BroadbandOhio@development.ohio.gov
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: kirk.martin@broadband.ok.gov;
broadband@broadband.ok.gov
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: daniel.l.holbrook@biz.oregon.gov
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: bwcarson@pa.gov;
Resources:
GA, PA, VA sound off on broadband funding challenges
Rhode Island
Brian Thorn
Director Broadband Strategy
Website: https://commerceri.com/broadband/
Email: brian.thorn@commerceri.com
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: JStritzinger@ors.sc.gov
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: Mike.waldner@state.sd.us
Phone: (605) 773-2483
Tennessee
Taylre Beaty
Broadband Program Director
Website: https://www.tn.gov/ecd/rural-development/tnecd-broadband-initiative.html
Email: taylre.beaty@tn.gov
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: Gregory.conte@cpa.texas.gov;
broadband@cpa.texas.gov
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: rdilg@utah.gov
Phone: (801) 538-8681
Vermont
Christine Hallquist
Executive director Vermont Community Broadband Board
Website: https://publicservice.vermont.gov/vt-community-broadband-board-vcbb
Email: christine.hallquist@vermont.gov;
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: tamarah.holmes@dhcd.virginia.gov
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: mark.vasconi@commerce.wa.gov
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: Kelly.A.Workman@wv.gov;
WVBroadbandCouncil@wv.gov
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: Alyssa.kenney@wisconsin.gov;
PSCStatebroadbandoffice@wisconsin.gov
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: elaina.zempel@wyo.gov;
broadbandoffice@wyo.gov
Phone: (307) 777-2802
Resources:
Visionary Broadband thinks its FWA roots will boost $100M fiber plan