Closing the digital divide one anchor institution at a time.
John Windhausen Jr., Executive Director
John Windhausen Jr. founded the SHLB Coalition in 2009 with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As executive director, he spearheads SHLB's membership growth and shapes its broadband policy recommendations. Previously, he served as president of the Association for Local Telecommunications Services, spent nine years on Capitol Hill, and started his career as a staff attorney at the FCC. In his role as senior counsel to the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, John was a principal staff person responsible for drafting the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and served as chief legal adviser on telecom issues to Senators Fritz Hollings and Daniel Inouye.
John has authored several papers documenting the benefits of broadband. His EDUCAUSE whitepaper, "A Blueprint for Big Broadband," resulted in the creation of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). In 2012, John was named the Community Broadband Hero of the Year by the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
Publications
Op-Eds
"COVID-19 increases demand for telemedicine, but America still isn't prepared," September 17, 2020, The Tennessean
“Let’s Give Schools a Tool to Solve the Homework Gap,” February 20, 2019, The Benton Foundation
“Ensuring every community in America has access to high-quality broadband,” May 22, 2017, The Hill
“Why We Need Affordable Broadband for Anchor Institutions and Communities,” August 11, 2016, Bloomberg Government
“How Schools Can and Should Fit into Our National Broadband Plans,” June 30, 2010, TMC Net
Research and Reports
“A Comparison of the 2012 Republican and Democratic Platforms on Internet, Broadband, and Information Technology Policies,” September 11, 2012, EDUCAUSE
“Fiber to the Library: How Public Libraries Can Benefit from Using Fiber Optics for their Broadband Internet Connection,” September 2009, American Libraries Association Office for Information Technology Policy
“Comparison of application Requirements for the NTIA and RUS Broadband Programs in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,” February 25, 2009, EDUCAUSE
“A Blueprint for Big Broadband,” January 29, 2008, EDUCAUSE
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