Broadband Breakfast on November 13, 2024 - State Broadband Offices and BEAD Awards

With several states now launching their application portals for the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, attention shifts to the next steps in fund deployment and program execution. What should subgrantees keep in mind moving forward? How will states navigate the interplay between different broadband technologies while ensuring program objectives are met? And as deployment moves forward, what role will local oversight play in shaping implementation? Join us for an in-depth examination of these pivotal questions as states work to translate their BEAD allocations into sustainable broadband infrastructure that serves all communities.

States Navigate BEAD Program Implementation Amid Political Transition

Officials emphasized that the BEAD program is likely to continue despite the upcoming administration change.

Broadband BreakfastBroadband Breakfast

Panelists

• Joseph Le, Interim Director of Broadband Development, Kansas Department of Commerce
• Earnie Holtrey, Director of State & Local Government Partnerships, Ready.net
• Brandy Reitter, Executive Director, Colorado Broadband Office
• Drew Clark (moderator), CEO and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast

Joseph Le is currently the Interim Director of Broadband Development. Prior to this role, he was the Deputy Director of Broadband Development since January 2023. He brings a diverse background in politics, public service, and technology, and he graduated from the University of Kansas with a double major in Political Science and Psychology. He served as Chief of Staff for Kansas House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer before joining the Broadband Development team.

Earnie Holtrey serves as the Director of State & Local Government Partnerships at Ready.net. Ready.net offers comprehensive resources to help statebroadband offices secure and administer broadband grants programs designed to expand broadband infrastructure and advance digital equity. Earnie formerly served as the Deputy Director of the Indiana Broadband Office.  He worked closely with the Indiana Office of Community & Rural Affairs (OCRA) to award millions of dollars in funding for Next Level Connections, aiding in the initial rollout as Indiana’s first-ever broadband grant program to expand accessibility. In this role, he assisted in the creation of the state’s BEAD 5-year plan and served on the Indiana Digital Equity Task Force.

Brandy Reitter joined the Colorado Broadband Office in 2022 and is responsible for providing oversight and management of the office's programs and state-wide strategy for broadband deployment. Her work includes education, outreach, supporting regional collaborations, fostering relations with partners, and mobilizing resources to improve the access and affordability of high speed internet. She works to assist with policy and legislative development, serves on various broadband boards, and supports the work of the office. 

Breakfast Media LLC CEO Drew Clark has led the Broadband Breakfast community since 2008. An early proponent of better broadband, better lives, he initially founded the Broadband Census crowdsourcing tool to collect and verify broadband data left unpublished by the Federal Communications Commission. As CEO and Publisher, Clark presides over the leading media community advocating for higher-capacity internet everywhere through topical, timely and intelligent coverage. Clark also served as head of the Partnership for a Connected Illinois, a state broadband initiative.