• Formerly serving 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, assisting 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.
• Prior to his work with the Office of Broadband Opportunities, he served as the East Central Community Liaison for the Office of Community and Rural Affairs, which helped to dispense broadband grants.
• With an extensive background in relationship-building and managing organizations across the public and private sectors, Earnie plays a critical role on the Ready team to ensure clients are well-positioned to achieve meaningful outcomes.