Director and General Counsel
Michael Baldino was appointed as Director and General Counsel of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) in April 2019. MBI serves as the central broadband office for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
During his tenure at MBI, Michael has overseen state-funded Last Mile grants that have expanded broadband connectivity in rural communities in Massachusetts. During the Covid-19 pandemic MBI supported community Wi-Fi hotspots and digital equity pilot projects. MBI also established the Mass Internet Connect program that helped unemployed job seekers reenter the workforce during the pandemic by providing access to affordable internet service, devices, and digital literacy resources.
MBI currently administers more than $400 million in federal broadband and digital equity funding that has been allocated to Massachusetts through the American Rescue Plan Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. MBI has launched innovative digital equity programs, including the Digital Equity Partnerships Program and the Municipal Digital Planning and Implementation Programs. MBI is also bridging the digital divide for residents of public and affordable housing through the Residential Retrofit Program and the Apartment Wi-Fi Initiative.
Michael came to MBI with a wealth of public sector policy experience. He served in the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Legal Department for over 23 years, providing legal advice and counsel to Mass Tech’s divisions, including MBI. During his tenure at Mass Tech, Michael also managed complex grant programs, including the Waste-To-Energy Grant Program which disbursed over $55 million to 138 cities and towns, and the Southeastern Massachusetts Defense Manufacturing Grant Program.
Michael holds a B.A. in Psychology from the State University of New York at Albany, where he graduated summa cum laude, and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law.