01/17/25 - While former House lawmaker Ed Propst may no longer be serving in the legislature, he continues his work in the government. The former Democratic candidate for U.S. Delegate officially began his new role as program manager at the CNMI Broadband Policy & Development Office this week, starting Wednesday. His hiring is part of a broader initiative to expand broadband access across the island and he is now the sixth member of the federally funded office.
“I am very excited to be a part of this great team and I look forward to sharing with the community all the great things that are going on,” Propst said in an interview with Marianas Press on Thursday.
Propst’s new role focuses on addressing the digital divide in the CNMI. The CNMI BPD recently received close to $100 million in federal funding to support this mission.
In explaining his decision to take the job, Propst pointed to his background in communications, which he studied in college. He also has experience managing the Head Start program for the CNMI Public School System. “I think I can bring a lot of experience and my credentials can speak for themselves,” he said.
Marianas Press also asked Propst about critics who suggest his hiring was influenced by his close relationship with Glen Hunter, the head of the CNMI BPD. Propst responded, “The biggest question is: am I qualified for this job?...and the answer is yes.”
For more details, you can watch the full interview with Ed Propst on Marianas Press's Facebook and YouTube pages.
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Interview by Thomas Manglona II