After decades at the forefront of rural connectivity and telecommunications policy, Shirley Bloomfield remains deeply committed to strengthening the leadership that powers the rural broadband industry forward. She previously served as CEO of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, where she had the privilege of representing and advancing the interests of community-based broadband providers across rural America. During her tenure, NTCA elevated rural broadband as a national priority, helped secure historic levels of public investment, and supported members through unprecedented technological, regulatory, and market change. Today, she serves as president of Shirley Connected LLC, the exclusive executive search partner for NTCA, advising boards and CEOs on leadership transitions, succession planning and executive recruitment. Her work focuses on identifying mission-driven leaders who understand the unique intersection of technology, policy and community impact that defines rural broadband and infrastructure organizations. She also serves on the board of SERC Reliability Corp., continuing her commitment to governance, reliability and long-term infrastructure resilience with a focus on the security of the power grid. While retired from full-time association leadership, she remains actively engaged as a trusted advisor, connector and advocate for strong leadership in the service of rural communities.