N.C. Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) Secretary James Weaver today announced Angie Bailey’s appointment as director of the Broadband Infrastructure Office within the Division of Broadband and Digital Equity. The division was created in July 2021 to prioritize closing the digital divide in North Carolina.
Bailey has served as interim director since August 2021 and has focused on planning for infrastructure investments utilizing American Rescue Plan dollars that were recently appropriated by the N.C. General Assembly and planning for subsequent broadband infrastructure funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“Angie’s wealth of broadband knowledge will aid the Broadband Instructure Office in its work to expand affordable, high-speed internet access to all North Carolinians,” said Secretary Weaver, who is also the State’s Chief Information Officer. “With her leadership, the office is well positioned to begin awarding grants to bring critical broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved areas of the state as quickly as possible.”
Bailey previously served as director of N.C. Broadband within the N.C. Department of Commerce and has more than 20 years of experience in broadband planning and development in North Carolina. She worked for the state’s original broadband commissions, the Rural Internet Access Authority and the e-NC Authority, on broadband infrastructure, adoption efforts and multiple grant programs. In 2015, Bailey assisted in transitioning the N.C. Broadband work to the current Broadband Infrastructure Office within NCDIT. She re-joined the Broadband Infrastructure Office in 2018 as assistant director, after two years with a consulting company focused on building dark fiber open access networks. She has an extensive expertise in broadband policy issues, rural and community development, coordination of statewide programs, and partnerships with North Carolina’s broadband providers.
Bailey holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Guilford College. She is a graduate of Leadership North Carolina and the Rural Economic Development Institute and received the Empower Award from MCNC for her work in broadband.