Across the country, there are hundreds of women working in our industry that are leading the way, driving growth and innovation and changing the lives of those in the communities they serve.
For Women’s History Month, NTCA and its Women in Telecom program highlight the trailblazers who may not always receive the recognition they deserve. Last week, we highlighted some of the nearly three dozen women submitted by our members who helped lay the groundwork for where we are today. This week, I’ll pick up where we left off with the women who are leading today. All of the women featured here were submitted for recognition by their peers.
Let’s start with the NTCA Board of Directors guiding the association and its membership through important decisions. Currently led by Chair Roxie Jorgenson, board secretary of MTA (Palmer, Alaska), the board also includes Central Region Cooperative Director Tonya Mayer, general manager/CEO of Hemingford Cooperative Telephone Company and Mobius Communications (Hemingford, Neb.), and Southwest Region Commercial Director Jennifer Prather, CEO of Totelcom Communications, LLC (De Leon, Texas).
Next is Kim Shepherd, who began with Skyline Membership Corporation (SkyLine/SkyBest; West Jefferson, N.C.) in 1995 as a part-time employee in the repair services department. Shepherd worked her way up through the company, ultimately becoming its first female CEO in 2018. When 95% of SkyLine’s core network went down as a result of Hurricane Helene, Shepherd’s steady hand, unwavering dedication to recovery, willingness to jump into different roles as needed and empathy were critical to the company’s restoration efforts.
Candace Wright started as the first female controller at Blue Valley Technologies (BVT; Home, Kan.) in 2007, quickly rising through the ranks to become the company’s first female chief financial officer and then its first female CEO in 2018. In addition, she serves as CEO of BVT’s subsidiary Networks Plus, a managed services provider for IT and cybersecurity services. Wright also serves on numerous boards and committees, including the NTCA R&S/Savings Plan Trust Committee and Industry and Regulatory Policy Committee.
In 1991, Rhonda Maun and three partners founded TELEC Consulting Resources, now known as Consortia Consulting (Omaha, Neb.), to support the needs of rural providers. Though she recently retired, the company grew significantly during Maun’s tenure as CEO. One of her proudest accomplishments was the creation of Consortia’s Connections conferences, which serve as a space to educate and advance women’s careers in the rural broadband industry.
As a third-generation employee and first female CEO of Power & Tel (Piperton, Tenn.), Jennifer Pentecost Sims has driven the company’s continued growth, industry leadership and innovation. She is an active member in various industry groups and secured the company’s certification as a women-owned business, a milestone that underscores her commitment to empowering women in telecommunications.
Kristi Westbrock joined CTC (Brainerd, Minn.) in 2007 and currently serves as the first female CEO and general manager in the cooperative’s history. Westbrock is the chair of the NTCA Women in Telecom program advisory council and serves on numerous industry committees and local and state boards. And in 2022, former FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel appointed her to serve on the Interagency Working Group, helping shape a congressional report on workforce development.
Another woman who has made an impact at CTC is Kathleen “Kathy” Kobliska. Kobliska has served on the CTC Board of Directors since 1998 and was the organization’s first female chair, as well as the only woman to serve as board president. For 27 years, she has been an advocate for rural broadband, dedicating herself to advancing CTC’s mission and making a lasting impact on the communities CTC serves. She also owns and operates the Kathy’s Kut & Kurl salon and is an active member of many community organizations.
Mary Hill has served on the 3 Rivers Communications (Fairfield, Mont.) Board of Trustees for 26 years and, in 2010, became the first woman to be elected board president. She is a past president of NTCA’s Services Management Corporation Board of Directors, serves on the Montana Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, and is a leader in improving rural emergency responder services in Montana, serving as an active volunteer EMT for most of her life. Her leadership has been instrumental in bringing fiber-to-the-home to every one of 3 Rivers’ 17,000 cooperative members.
In 1995, Judith Bass Barnes was elected as the first female director on the board of directors at Star Telephone Membership Corporation (Star Communications; Clinton, N.C.), representing the Cohaire Exchange, and currently serves as assistant secretary-treasurer. In addition, Barnes taught students at various local schools from 1970-2000. She also served on the Board of Directors of NC Grange Mutual Insurance Company and is an active volunteer in her community.
Kristi Miller was the third woman to join the SRT Communications (Minot, N.D.) Board of Directors in 2015 and became the cooperative’s first female board president in 2021. Currently, she is half of SRT’s first female leadership duo, alongside CEO and general manager Cassidy Hjelmstad. Miller has helped guide decision-making during some of SRT’s most notable strategic initiatives over the last three years, including the completion of SRT’s fiber network and the sale of 56 wireless towers.
Mosaic Technologies (Cameron, Wis.) is home to several trailblazing women. Kelly Hoff was the first woman appointed to the Mosaic Board of Directors in 2002 and has served in numerous roles on the board, including multiple terms as secretary/treasurer. Hoff is deeply committed to ensuring Mosaic Technologies remains financially sound while honoring the cooperative’s founding values and membership. Hoff was soon followed by another Kelly, Kelly Frisle, who is the second woman on the Mosaic Board of Directors. With over 25 years of marketing experience, her leadership and contributions have supported Mosaic Technologies in expanding its product and services portfolio, ensuring the company remains competitive and innovative. Tammy Emerson joined Mosaic in 1999 as an entry-level customer service representative and worked her way up to her current role as chief human resources officer. Emerson’s expertise has been crucial in successfully restructuring and expanding Mosaic Technologies as it adds subsidiary companies. Linda Garbleman, CPA, serves as chief financial and regulatory officer. Garbleman’s financial oversight and modeling have been critical to Mosaic’s success in fiber expansions across five counties and 16 communities in northwestern Wisconsin.
Anna Fuentez-Molinar started as a customer service representative with Big Bend Telephone (BBT: Alpine, Texas) in 2000 and now serves as the customer solutions and sales supervisor for both the Alpine and Presidio business offices. Fuentez-Molinar strives to provide the utmost professional, courteous and knowledgeable service to not only BBT’s external customers but also to her internal BBT team. In addition to her work at BBT, she believes in the importance of serving the Alpine community, where she is active in annual events like Viva Big Bend and the Christmas parade.
Next, we have two women who are celebrating 25 years of service at Bascom Communications (Bascom, Ohio): Donna Siebenaller and Laura Wise. Siebenaller began her career as a field technician, breaking barriers in a field where women were underrepresented. Now an outside plant manager, she joined the company when there were only five employees, quickly mastering a wide range of responsibilities and becoming a cornerstone of the company’s operations, helping guide the company through significant growth and ongoing fiber network expansions. Wise serves as an accountant/HR and her meticulous attention to detail has ensured the company’s financial stability and success. She is known not only for her ability to balance the books, but also for her ability to balance the needs of her colleagues with grace and understanding and is a steadfast advocate for the community-oriented values that define rural telecommunications.
As director of communication and engagement at Vantage Point Solutions (Mitchell, S.D.), Jacki Miskimins is committed to empowering others to rise, break barriers, shift perspectives and ensure that businesses, communities and individuals thrive. She serves as the chair of the NTCA Associate Member Advisory Council, is an active volunteer with several service organizations and believes that leadership is not just about making things happen but also about helping people rise to their full potential.
Pat Palmer will be celebrating 60 years with Grand Electric Cooperative, Inc./West River Cooperative Telephone Company (WRCTC; Bison, S.D.) next January. Throughout her tenure, she has served in numerous roles including, cashier, billing clerk, customer service representative and many more. Her advice for women coming up in the industry is, “Take [the job]! It’s very rewarding! To work with people. To help people. Because that’s what we’re here for!”
Catherine Nicolaou serves as the first broadband program manager for the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she leads the city’s broadband initiatives and efforts while being a voice for all community members. She has served on many local and national committees and boards, is a recipient of Albuquerque Business First’s 40 Under 40 Award and, in 2024, received the Women in Technology Award from the New Mexico Technology Council.
Last fall, NTCA Director of Advocacy Michelle Ly was named a 2024 Top PAC Professional by the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics. Her work to grow the NTCA Rural Broadband PAC and help provide financial support to federal congressional candidates who either champion rural broadband policy or play an important role in Congress is unmatched.
And last, but certainly not least, we have NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield. With over 30 years of experience representing small, community-based rural broadband providers, Bloomfield is a respected leader in the industry and with policymakers in Washington, D.C. She has been named one of Washingtonian Magazine’s 500 Most Influential People in Washington, D.C., for the past four years running and, just last week was named as one of seven women transforming the broadband industry by CNET.
Thank you again to everyone who shared stories of the women leaders in their lives, companies and communities. It has been so fun and rewarding to read about each of these women and, hopefully, briefly give them the credit they deserve. You can find photos of each of these amazing women on the NTCA Facebook page and stay tuned for more on these women throughout the year.
Happy Women’s History Month!