Jennifer Harris

Federal Program Officer, Texas
U.S. Department of Commerce, NTIA

Jennifer Harris joined the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in August 2022 as the federal program officer (FPO) for the State of Texas. In this role, she coordinates partnerships and outreach with the state and local governments, community groups, and other entities with a vested interest on NTIA’s high-speed internet grant programs and policy issues. Harris works directly with the Texas Broadband Development Office and the state-level regional, county and municipal associations to ensure comprehensive engagement from all stakeholders in the state on the state’s high-speed internet planning and funding process.

Harris started her career at the Texas State Capitol in 2005 and has held a wide range of jobs in the public sector. Her professional experience includes legislative, public policy, communications, and government affairs work with the Texas Legislature, and policy and communications work for the Florida Department of Education, along with a variety of roles on local and statewide political campaigns. She also served for three years as the Texas state program director for Connected Nation, a national nonprofit organization focused on tackling the digital divide. In 2020, she became an inaugural member of the Governor’s Broadband Development Council and was reappointed in March 2022 by Governor Abbott, who named her vice chair of the Council, a position she held until joining NTIA.

Harris holds a bachelor's degree in business administration with a focus in marketing from the McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in public service and administration from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.