Adrianne B. Furniss

Adrianne B. Furniss is Executive Director, Board Member, and Trustee of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, a private operating foundation with offices in Evanston, Illinois. Since 1981, the Benton Institute has been committed to access, equity, and diversity to fulfill our mission: Everyone in the United States should have equal access to open, affordable, High-Performance Broadband as a means to deliver individual opportunity, strengthen communities, and ensure a thriving democracy.

The Benton Institute promotes long-term policy solutions and best practices, providing resources and support for policymakers at all levels of government and people who work to serve the public’s interest. These groups include school, library, healthcare, and other community leaders; non-profit and social justice groups; broadband adoption, inclusion, and digital literacy practitioners; academics and researchers; funders; and journalists and commentators.

Currently, Adrianne serves on two additional boards -- the Board of Advisors for the Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC), which represents a wide range of public and private interests who support the authority of local communities to make the broadband Internet choices that are essential for economic competitiveness, democratic discourse, and quality of life in the 21st century; and as Secretary and Executive Committee member of the Board of Directors for PC’s for People, a national nonprofit based in St. Paul, Minnesota. PCs for People strives to bridge the digital divide by providing affordable personal computers, computer repairs, internet service, and education to people with limited technological experience due to social, physical, or economic circumstances.