The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s New Board Chair and What Comes Next

Adrianne Benton Furniss is the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s new Chair of its Board of Directors. Succeeding Austin L. Hirsch, Furniss steps into her new role after a ten-year tenure as Benton’s executive director ended in 2025. For over a decade, Furniss has focused the organization on ensuring that the benefits of robust, affordable broadband service deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities around the nation. In the past year, Furniss has focused on Benton’s community engagement and other education and outreach work in the Institute’s home state of Illinois. She has also advised her successor, Dr. Revati Prasad, on development activities and external communications. Furniss now steps into a new role to help guide the Institute as it continues its mission of advancing broadband for all and promoting the public interest. I sat down with Furniss to ask her how she’s seen the Benton Institute grow throughout her tenure, and what being Chair of the Board means to her moving forward.