Peggy Schaffer

Board Member
American Association of Public Broadband

Peggy Schaffer, who is currently semi-retired, was the executive director of the ConnectME Authority, Maine’s program to expand broadband to unserved areas of the state. As director, Schaffer did all the normal things a director does including budgets, grant processes and public outreach. She also led ConnectMaine in the development of a verification and validation process for infrastructure grants, a broadband intelligence platform, and a structure to support communities in the development of Broadband Utility Districts as well as a successful application to the NTIA Broadband Infrastructure Program.

Prior to joining ConnectME, Schaffer was the small business advocate in the secretary of state's office and served as the co-chair for the Maine Broadband Coalition. Using her 20 years of political work from serving as the lobbyist for the Department of Economic and Community Development as well as chief of staff in the Maine State Senate, she brings an understanding that this work requires multiple strategies to be successful, including a good sense of humor.

Schaffer is a board member of the American Association of Public Broadband (AAPB) and serves as a strategic adviser to VETRO FiberMap’s broadband intelligence platform.