Francella Ochillo
Executive Director, Next Century Cities
Twitter: @FranOchillo
Francella Ochillo is Executive Director of Next Century Cities, a nonprofit that focuses on expanding high-speed broadband connectivity across the U.S. She is an attorney and digital rights advocate whose work underscores how widespread broadband adoption can improve educational outcomes, economic mobility, the ability to age in place, and pathways for participating in our democracy. Advocating for public interest on a variety of technology and telecommunications issues, Francella provides expertise on how government policies and industry practices affect underrepresented populations.
As a Technology and Public Purpose Fellow at Harvard University, Francella conducts research on how inadequate access to technology reinforces income inequality. Her analysis documents the cost of inaction on closing the digital divide, and emphasizes how digital equity can strengthen communities. Francella has also served on Federal Communications Commission working groups, provided Congressional testimony on broadband and open internet issues, and participated in various regulatory proceedings. She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and Federal Communications Bar Association.
