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Highlights | Meet NTIA's OICG Staff | Programmatic Updates
Highlights
Assistant Secretary Roth visits Nebraska to Highlight One of the First Households with a BEAD-Supported Connection
On May 14, Assistant Secretary Arielle Roth joined Governor Jim Pillen in Ogallala, Nebraska to announce the first household broadband connection in the state and one of the first BEAD-funded connections in the country. In her remarks, the Assistant Secretary emphasized that NTIA is accelerating broadband availability to deliver on BEAD’s mission of universal connectivity for all Americans, recognizing that different communities require different solutions.
Read more about the announcement here.
Assistant Secretary Roth joins Governor Pillen and partners in Ogallala, NE.
Assistant Secretary Roth on Capitol Hill
During the month of May, Assistant Secretary Roth visited the U.S. House of Representatives to meet with several members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to discuss NTIA’s priorities, including the BEAD Program, spectrum, World Radiocommunication Conference priorities, permitting, and public safety communications.
Assistant Secretary Roth with Representatives Rick Allen (12th District of Georgia) and Craig Goldman (12th District of Texas).
Assistant Secretary Roth Joins the 2026 Annual Princeton NextG Symposium
On May 7, Assistant Secretary Roth spoke at the Annual Princeton NextG Symposium. Her remarks emphasized that NTIA’s goal is to maximize America’s communications capabilities and infrastructure by focusing on ensuring universal broadband availability, supporting the Administration’s push for America’s AI dominance, and enabling innovation in wireless networks while promoting efficient use of our spectrum resources.
Assistant Secretary Roth with Kaushik Sengupta, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Princeton University and Ari Fitzgerald, Partner, Hogan Lovells.
Assistant Secretary Roth at the 2026 CTIA Summit
On May 6, Assistant Secretary Roth spoke at the 2026 CTIA Summit in Washington, D.C. The Assistant Secretary’s remarks highlighted that the Trump Administration’s policy is that America will lead the world in 6G, unlocking spectrum that will spur innovation for generations to come. NTIA’s focus on spectrum is to modernize federal systems, improve efficiency, and get more spectrum into the marketplace. In addition, she announced that NTIA has launched Spectrum.gov, where resources for federal spectrum managers, policymakers, and industry can be accessed under one easy-to-navigate website.
Assistant Secretary Roth speaks at the 2026 CTIA Summit.
NTIA Hosts USTTI Satellite Connectivity Training in Ghana
NTIA hosted a United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) Satellite Connectivity Training in Ghana this month. At the training, Chief of Staff Brooke Donilon emphasized the United States’ technology neutral approach in the BEAD program, noting that multiple solutions can deliver reliable, high-speed broadband nationwide.
Brooke Donilon presenting at USTTI’s Satellite Connectivity Training.
Meet NTIA's Office of Internet Connectivity & Growth Staff
Kevin Hollingsworth-Alleyne
Federal Program Officer, CMC Pilot Program
Kevin Hollingsworth-Alleyne joined NTIA in 2022 as a Compliance Specialist overseeing the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program and the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. He is currently a Federal Program Officer for NTIA’s CMC Grant Program. Prior to joining NTIA, Kevin worked at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development supporting the Office of Community Planning and Development as the subject matter expert for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
Michelle Lemelle
Federal Program Officer, CMC Pilot Program
Michelle Lemelle joined NTIA in February 2022 as a Broadband Program Specialist in the Communications and Engagement Department within NTIA's Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth where she coordinated outreach between industry stakeholders and NTIA staff. In June of 2022, she joined the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives as a Federal Program Officer, managing a portfolio of CMC Grant Program award recipients and managing communications and engagement. Before joining NTIA, Michelle was with the Small Business Investor Alliance (SBIA) for three years as their Member Services and Engagement Manager, coordinating outreach with SBIA stakeholders and small businesses in need of financing.
Janice Wilkins
Federal Program Officer, CMC Pilot Program
Janice Wilkins joined NTIA in 2009 as a grant specialist evaluating and processing grant applications for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). She later became a Federal Program Officer for the program and established relationships between grant recipients, other federal and state government agencies, and Tribal governments across the country. Janice is currently a Federal Program Officer for NTIA’s CMC Grant Program. Prior to joining NTIA, Janice worked at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development administering grants and contracts.
Programmatic Updates
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) and Native Entities Grant Program (NEGP) Update
NTIA is inviting the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on December 10, 2025, during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. Click here for more information and to submit a comment.
BEAD Program Update
- Louisiana: Louisiana is the first state in the nation to complete the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for BEAD and gain approvals from the Assistant Secretary. Louisiana created a thorough process, allowing for a streamlined review process of subgrantees, reviewing all subgrantee NEPA documentation, ensuring compliance and providing expertise and technical assistance before submitting projects to NTIA. Learn more about Louisiana’s milestone achievement here.
- North Dakota: North Dakota is the first state in the nation to sign all of its subgrantee agreements. With the signing of these agreements, the state moves from its planning phase to full execution of broadband deployment through BEAD, working to connect just under 300 unserved locations.
Connecting Minority Communities Program
The Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (CMC) wrapped up in February 2026. This $268 million federal grant program gave grants to 92 HBCUs, Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) to facilitate investments in broadband access, equipment, and information technology capacity. This program was signed into law in December 2020 during the first Trump Administration and was a bipartisan effort led by Senators Roger Wicker (MS) and Tim Scott (SC), along with Representatives Gregory Meeks (NY5) and Guy Reschenthaler (PA14).
As the first federal initiative dedicated specifically to strengthening digital capacity at MSIs, these grant funded investments modernized infrastructure, expanded device access, strengthened cybersecurity, and enhanced hybrid learning environments. Over 100,000 lives have been touched through new broadband subscriptions, network upgrades, workforce, professional development and digital skills training and receiving broadband supported devices. As the program winds down, NTIA grant recipients have successfully completed their projects, resulting in strengthening campus connectivity and expanding access for students nationwide.