Skip to Content

Illinois Board, Commission, Task Force and Council List

Boards and Commissions Detail | Skip to Member Names | View all Boards and Commissions

Title:Broadband Advisory Council
Contact Name:Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Contact Title:Randy Kowalski, Senior Advisor to the Directors Office
Contact Phone:312.814.5803
Contact E-Mail:Randy.Kowalski@illinois.gov
Function:(a) The Council shall: (1) Explore any and all ways to expand the availability to end-user customers of broadband services using available technologies, including , but not limited to, wireline, wireless, fixed wireless, and satellite applications; (2) identify barriers to broadband adoption among the residents and small businesses of Illinois; (3) research ways to eliminate barriers to adoption through measures such as: digital literacy programs; programs to assist older citizens in using broadband Internet access; programs to facilitate adoption by disabled citizens; and programs to encourage collaborative efforts among public universities, community colleges, libraries, public housing, and other institutions; (4) assess the availability of broadband for low-income households compared to the availability of broadband for other households; (5) explore the potential for increased use of broadband service for the purposes of education, career readiness, workforce preparation, and alternative career training; (6) explore the potential for increased use of broadband services to facilitate aging in place; (7) explore ways for encouraging State and municipal agencies, including public housing authorities, to expand the use of broadband services for the purpose of better serving the public, including audio and video streaming, voice-over Internet protocol, teleconferencing, and wireless networking; (8) cooperate and assist in the expansion of electronic instruction and distance education services; and (9) as the Federal Communications Commission updates the benchmark downstream data rates and upstream data rates, publish the revised data rates in the Illinois Register within 6- days after the federal update
Term:3 year terms for gubernatorial appointees
Senate Confirmation:No
Compensation:Expenses
Composition:21 Voting Members (1) The Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or his or her designee, who shall serve as chair of the Council; (2) The Secretary of Innovation and Technology or his or her designee; (3) The Director of Aging or his or her designee; (4) The Attorney General or his or her designee; (5) The Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission or his or her designee (6) One member appointed by the Director of Healthcare and Family Services to represent the needs of disabled citizens; (7) One member appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and nominated by the executive director of a statewide organization representing municipalities; (9) One member appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and nominated by the president of a statewide organization representing libraries; (10) One member appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and nominated by the president of a statewide organization representing public housing authorities; (11) One member appointed by the Chair of the Illinois Community College Board; (12) One member appointed by the Chair of the Illinois Board of Higher Education; and (13) One member appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and nominated by the president of the State's largest general farm organization; (14) One member appointed by the Director of Aging and nominated by an organization representing Illinois' senior population with a membership of at least 1,500.000' (15) Seven members to represent broadband providers for 3-year terms appointed by the Governor as follows: (a) One member representing an incumbent local exchange carrier that serves rural areas; (b) One member representing an incumbent local exchange carrier that serves urban areas; (c) One member representing wireless carriers that offer broadband Internet access (d) One member representing cable companies that serve Illinois; (e) One member representing a statewide rural broadband association; (f) One member representing a telecommunications carrier issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity or a certificate of service authority from the Illinois Commerce Commission, whose principal place of business is located in east central Illinois and who is engaged in providing broadband access in rural areas through the installation of broadband lines that connect telecommunications facilities to other telecommunications facilities or to end0users; and (g) One member representing satellite providers. In addition to the 21 voting members of the Council, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint one non-voting member of the Council.
Authority:P.A. 100-0833

 Member Names
Name (Last, First)Term ExpiresMember SinceAffiliationAppointed ByPositionTitleCounty
Alfredson, DebDCEO & Statewide Organization Representing Public Housing AuthoritiesVoting MemberIllinois Association of Housing Authorities
Antonacci, David Chair of the Illinois Board of Higher EducationVoting MemberIllinois Board of Higher Education
Basta, PaulaDirector of AgingVoting Member
Chamberlain, MikeDCEO & Statewide Organization Representing MunicipalitiesVoting MemberMayor of Belvedere
Connor, Rep. JohnSpeaker of the HouseNon-Voting MemberState Representative
Cunningham, Sen. BillPresident of the SenateNon-Voting MemberState Senator
Eagleson, TheresaDirector of Healthcare and Family ServicesVoting MemberDirector of Healthcare and Family Services
Guebert Jr., RichardDCEO & State's Largest General Farm OrganizationVoting MemberPresident of the Illinois Farm Bureau
Guthrie, ErinDirector of Commerce and Economic OpportunityChair, Voting Member
Lopez, Dr. LazaroChair of the Illinois Community College BoardVoting MemberDeputy Dr, Of Info Technology at ICCB
Obregon, Alvaro4/29/2019Director of Aging & Organization Representing Illinois' Senior Pop. with Membership of at least 1,500,000Voting Member
Satter, SusanAttorney GeneralVoting MemberSenior Attorney
Shallenberger, Josh12/7/2018DCEO & Statewide Organization Representing Electric CooperativesVoting MemberPresident/CEO of Shelby Electric Coop
Slaughter, Anne DCEO & Statewide Organization Representing LibrariesVoting MemberDirector of Technology, Illinois Library Association
Smith, ChollyChairman of the Illinois Commerce CommissionVoting MemberExecutive Director of the Illinois Commerce Commission
Sorenson, LoriSecretary of Innovation and TechnologyVoting MemberChief Networking Officer for Illinois DoIT
Tracy, Sen. Jil10/16/2018Minority Leader of the SenateNon-Voting MemberSenator
VACANTGovernorVoting MemberRep. of incumbent local exchange carrier that serves rural areas
VACANTGovernorVoting MemberRep. of incumbent local exchange carrier that serves urban areas
VACANTGovernorVoting MemberRep. wireless carriers that offer broadband Internet access
VACANTGovernorVoting MemberRep. cable companies that serve Illinois
VACANTGovernorVoting MemberRep. statewide rural broadband association
VACANTGovernorVoting MemberRep. telecommunications carrier with business in east central Illinois
VACANTGovernorVoting MemberRep. satellite provider
Wheeler, Rep. KeithMinority Leader of the House of RepresentativesNon-Voting MemberChief of Staff