Dispatch from the 2025 Maryland Digital Opportunity Summit
October 24, 2025
NERCRD’s Stephen Alessi attended and shared this report.
The 2025 Maryland Digital Opportunity Summit was held on October 15th in Silver Springs, MD, and brought together people from education, government, technology, and community organizations to learn and discuss opportunities to increase broadband access and develop digital skills to increase economic opportunities for residents of Maryland.
Dr. Jinhee Kim, associate dean and director of University of Maryland Extension, provided opening remarks focused on the success of the Marylanders Online program and on the opportunity to create partnerships between different sectors to help drive economic growth within Maryland. Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, senior fellow in governance studies and the director of the Center for Technology Innovation (CTI) at the Brookings Institute, delivered the keynote address, sharing how digital access and skills have increased economic growth and opportunities for Marylanders across the state with examples form rural, suburban, and urban communities. Ronnie Hammond, director of the Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband, shared updates on the progress and impacts of Maryland’s investments in digital opportunities in the last two years, including:
- 110,000 households connected since 2023.
- 140,000 devices have been distributed throughout Maryland.
- 99.5% statewide connectivity.
- 135,000 residents have been trained in digital skills.
- 2,200 jobs and apprenticeships created.
Hammond also shared the success story of Smith Island, MD, where community businesses have experienced growth and investment thanks to newly acquired broadband access and the ability to process credit card transactions.
NERCRD Associate Director Stephen Alessi attended the event and participated in discussions about the potential impacts of emerging technology on rural communities and the importance of broadband access in rural communities. A coalition-building session focused on regional and statewide collaborations to address digital opportunities and strategies going forward. Alessi joined the Maryland Statewide Coalition discussion on broadband access and telehealth in rural communities, the importance of digital skills for workforce development, and the role universities can play in building digital skills in communities. The Summit also featured panel discussions on workforce development, community engagement and policy and advocacy work.
Congratulations and thanks to the organizers of the event, which provided an excellence platform for learning, sharing and collaboration.