Crystal Ivey is a telecommunications policy expert with over a decade of experience
advancing broadband access across the U.S. She serves as the Government Relations
Manager for the Knoxville Utilities Board (KUB), a municipal utility in East Tennessee
serving parts of seven counties, where she leads the organization’s strategy in
government affairs. KUB is currently undertaking a significant fiber infrastructure
deployment that will make it the largest municipally-owned fiber network in the U.S.
upon completion.
Before joining KUB, Crystal served as Technical Assistance Director at the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) during the Biden
administration. There, she led a team providing strategic policy guidance to state,
territory, and tribal efforts to implement high-speed internet grant programs to connect
all Americans.
Earlier in her career, Crystal launched the State of Tennessee’s broadband efforts
where she served as the state’s Broadband Director, advised two Governors on
telecommunications policy, awarded over $120 million in grants, and implemented
policies to improve high-speed internet access statewide. Crystal holds a B.S. in Public
Administration and Economics from the University of Tennessee and an MBA from
Tennessee Tech University. In 2021, Crystal was recognized as one of the “Women
Changing the Fiber Industry” by Fiber Forward Magazine, and a 40 Under 40 awardee
by the Knoxville News Sentinel in 2026. She supports the East Tennessee community in
a variety of ways including engaging with students at the UT Howard H. Baker Jr.
School of Public Policy and Public Affairs and is active in multiple nonprofit
organizations.