Broadband Development Conference
SHLB Coalition, Policy Counsel
Kristen serves as the Policy Counsel for the SHLB Coalition. She joined the team in 2022 to augment its increasing advocacy work. In this role, she works with SHLB members and government officials to ensure new and existing broadband policies account for the connectivity needs of anchor institutions and their users. Her experience includes managing and leading coalition calls across all membership sectors, drafting and filing comments and letters to both FCC and Congressional staff, and assisting with SHLB's many advocacy events such as its annual Fly-In and AnchorNets conference. She also engages in speaking opportunities at conferences across the country, providing Federal updates related to the Universal Service Fund, the E-Rate and Rural Health Care programs, and related FCC, Congressional, and Legislative matters.
Kristen was previously a communications attorney at Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth PLC, where she assisted wireless, radio, and television broadcast clients with filings, pleadings, and other regulatory needs. From 2015 to 2020, she represented a major wireless carrier in commercial leasing, licensing and matters around infrastructure acquisition as a Telecommunications Attorney at Baker Donelson.
Kristen earned her J.D. with the magna cum laude distinction from Michigan State University. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Stetson University. In 2022, Kristen was honored by Best Lawyers as One to Watch - Communications Law in D.C.
The FCC is considering significant changes to the Universal Service Fund, including proposals that could end the E-Rate program. For schools and libraries, the stakes are high: E-Rate has connected millions of students, enabled digital learning, and helped community anchor institutions serve as essential hubs for education, workforce development, telehealth, and public access.
This panel consists of technology leaders, broadband providers, and E-Rate advocates to examine what the FCC proceeding could mean for communities and the market. Panelists will discuss how E‑Rate currently creates stable demand and supports network investment, share frontline experiences negotiating service and upgrades, and identify the policy considerations providers and policymakers must weigh before making major changes. Changes to E‑Rate would alter revenue certainty, procurement practices, and investment calculus for providers, affecting pricing, deployment timelines, and willingness to serve low‑margin or hard‑to‑reach communities. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how E-Rate contributes to the broadband ecosystem keeping America’s anchor institutions reliably connected.
