Deb Watts

Deb Watts brings more than 15 years as a senior director of research and development for the e-NC authority/NC Broadband. In this role she was responsible for designing, funding, and evaluating national best practice models for increasing broadband Internet access and utilization, including business and technology development centers, transactional e-government utilization, grassroots connectivity strategic planning initiatives and strategic broadband policy planning. This work was especially focused on connectivity challenges in rural and underserved communities. As senior partner at Technology Development Group, a consultancy practice specializing in technology-led economic development, Watts has accumulated more than 30 years of successful experience on a state, national, and international level related to public and private sector science policy and technology-based economic development.