Deborah Watts
June 14, 2024Deborah Watts brings more than 15 years as 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, Deb 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. Deb has undergraduate and graduate degrees in molecular biology from NC State University and Emory University respectively, and at the University of NC at Chapel Hill has completed an MBA degree and all coursework toward Ph.D. in Operations Management with a focus on Innovation and Technology and has completed additional studies at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.