Launched in 2016 as the organization’s Broadband initiative, MBEP recognized the need for reliable and affordable Internet service - an essential utility - for the way we live, learn, and operate as a community. The global pandemic further highlighted the digital divide in our rural and underserved counties - remote work; tele-health; small businesses operations; and education.  In addition, MBEP partners with the Central Coast Broadband Consortium (CCBC) and the South Salinas Valley Broadband Authority (SSVBA) as the entities’ executive director to convene stakeholders toward collective impact in programs and policies that address the region's digital divide.