Shirley Bloomfield is chief executive officer of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, the premier association representing nearly 850 independent telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. With more than 30 years of experience representing the country’s smallest telecom operators, Bloomfield is an expert on the role of federal communications policies in sustaining the vitality of rural and remote communities and the benefits rural broadband networks bring to millions of American families and businesses and the national economy. Bloomfield has a strong track record of leadership in seeking synergies and aligning strategic partnerships among rural telecom companies, their larger counterparts, other rural utilities and local and federal governments, further expanding business opportunities for small communications providers. Under her leadership, NTCA has made broadband an integral part of policy conversations in Washington, D.C., and has secured billions of dollars in federal funding for rural service providers to expand build out and sustain networks and help close the digital divide. Bloomfield is a strong supporter of national efforts to improve the resilience and reliability of critical electric and telecommunications infrastructure and serves as a board member of NRTC and the Southeast Reliability Corporation (SERC).

Mark Patterson is the CEO and General Manager of Highland Telephone Cooperative, which provides telecommunication services for Morgan and Scott Counties in Tennessee and McCreary County in Kentucky. Highland’s subsidiary company Highland Communications provides broadband service to parts of Anderson County and Campbell Counties. In 2015 HTC completed a Broadband Initiative Plan Grant which replaced the existing copper network with a 100 percent fiber network. Highland constructed over 2200 miles of fiber. Since the completion of that project Highland has received ARC and RUS grants totaling over $13M to provide broadband via fiber to the unserved northern part of Cambell County. In 2022 received a TN EDC grant for $22M to provide broadband service to the unserved northern section of Anderson County and southern Campbell County. Mark has over 40 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business.

Taylre Beaty started as the State Broadband Director at ECD in September 2021. Prior to joining ECD, she worked for USDA Rural Development, most recently as a Policy Advisor for Rural Utilities Service in Washington, D.C. During her time at USDA, she worked on then Secretary Sonny Purdue’s broadband priorities including the American Broadband Initiative, FCC Precision Ag Task Force, and critical broadband infrastructure projects during the COVID-19 pandemic. She earned a master’s in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University and a bachelor’s in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. She is originally from East Tennessee.