Benton Foundation Expanding Washington Office, Focusing on Making Promise of the National Broadband Plan a Reality

On June 1, 2010, Benton Foundation Chairman and CEO Charles Benton named Amina Fazlullah the organization's Policy Counsel, and announced that Joanne Hovis has joined the foundation's board of directors.

Fazlullah will spearhead the foundation's advocacy efforts around implementation of the recently-released National Broadband Plan and additional efforts to promote policies that make universal, affordable high-speed Internet access and use a reality in the U.S.

Hovis, who is president of the public interest technology and energy consulting firm, CTC, is a longtime advocate of universal, high-bandwidth broadband for community and economic development. She has assisted local and state governments, as well as non-profits, throughout the country to develop broadband strategic plans and to design and deploy broadband networks. Hovis also serves as president-elect of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, the association that promotes community interests in communications matters.