About Us

Veneeth Iyengar

Executive Director

Veneeth is the first executive director for the state of Louisiana's broadband efforts (also known as ConnectLA). He is responsible for coordinating efforts among federal, state and local leaders in allocating nearly $1.6 Billion in federal funds to eliminate the digital divide in Louisiana by 2029.

He and his team are considered thought leaders in the broadband community for their rapid scale up and execution of federal dollars to impact the 1.7 million residents in Louisiana who lack high speed internet. Louisiana's efforts have been recognized nationally, and he is often asked to speak at events hosted and or organized by the Pew Charitable Trusts, National Governors Association, Consumer Electronics Show, Fiber Broadband Association, National Conference of State Legislators, US Department of Commerce's SelectUSA Summit, Federalist Society, American Enterprise Institute, Brookings Institute and leading other organizations.

ConnectLA's work also has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Politico, Axios, Fierce Telecom, Telecompetitor, Associated Press, Semafor, The Advocate, USA Today's network of newspapers and other leading telecom publications.

Their office has also been recognized nationally and among other states in the following ways:

• #1 - Received approval from US Treasury for then plan to spend $176 Million in American Rescue Plan Dollars
• #1 - Recipients of the first dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-Broadband/National Telecommunications and Information Administration
• #1 - Adoption of the Affordable Connectivity Program on a per capita basis
• #6 - National Digital Inclusion Alliance's Digital Opportunity Index, which measures how well states are addressing digital opportunity
• #8 - Largest allocation of Broadband Dollars from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill ($1.36 Billion)

From 2018-2021, he was the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer for the Mayor-President of East Baton Rouge Parish. During, the parish saw the best year in history for economic development projects. He was involved in the lifecycle of Economic Development deals and he led the administration's response in helping small business owners during the pandemic.

In 2020, Veneeth was asked by the Governor to co-chair his Resilient Louisiana Healthcare Task Force, which included the CEOs of leading healthcare systems, payors and rural healthcare organizations in the state. The task force recommended approaches to create an innovative healthcare economy given the challenges posed by the pandemic. Prior to his time as a public servant, Veneeth helped build the Venture Capital/Private Equity healthcare practice for Sage Growth Partners and worked in the office of the former CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation under President George W. Bush.

In 2023, Veneeth received the Louisiana Community and Technical College System Impact Award, the Woodrow Wilson Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service from Johns Hopkins University in 2022, 2020 Leadership Louisiana Recipient by the Council for a Better Louisiana and 2018 Forty under 40 in Baton Rouge by the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report.

He is on Ochsner's Health State Advisory Board with the focus of significantly improving the healthcare rankings in the state, Board of Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation and Chairman for Innovation Catalyst, a non-profit evergreen investment based in Baton Rouge that has made more than a dozen investments startups.

He received his Master of Science in finance from Johns Hopkins University and his Bachelor of Science in economics from Purdue University. Veneeth grew up in Baton Rouge and attended Baton Rouge High School.

Thomas Tyler Jr.

Deputy Director

Thomas Tyler has experience in technology strategy, cybersecurity affairs, economic development, and public policy disciplines. As the Deputy Director for Louisiana’s Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity, he has served an instrumental role in standing up key initiatives and lead numerous functions ranging from policy and government relations to strategic planning and grant program administration. He has received national recognition from a variety of stakeholders, a direct result of the thought-leadership of the office and stewardship of some of the most impactful investments the state has made in its diverse communities over the past several years.

Previously, Thomas served both in the public and private sectors, leading Louisiana Economic Development’s Digital Interactive Media and Software Development Incentive Program, administering and growing one the nation’s strongest and most comprehensive incentive programs for this industry. He assisted companies and startups of all sizes to facilitate statewide investments into workforce development opportunities, leveraging key incentives and public policy instruments to facilitate significant private and public sector investments in Louisiana communities.

Additionally, he has served as a consultant and advisor for one of the nation’s leading cybersecurity and technology advisory practices. He provided information security and technology strategy, consulting, and training services to a variety of clients crossing numerous sectors, sizes, and complexities.

Thomas is recognized for his invaluable contributions to stakeholders, speaking and providing advisory services to organizations such as the US Department of Commerce, Pew Charitable Trusts, National Governors Association, Fiber Broadband Association, National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Telecommunications Industry Association, Tech Policy Institute, Smart Cities Council, Mountain Connect, Collision Conference, Business Resource Network, Society of Louisiana CPAs and the Louisiana Bankers Association.

Thomas is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a graduate of Louisiana State University, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is an active member of the Sunrise Rotary Club of Baton Rouge and in 2022 was named to the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s “Forty Under 40” list. He resides in Baton Rouge with his wife and three children.

David Lehman

Program Manager

David specializes in economic, fiscal and policy issues. He has a master's in public administration from LSU where he served as a Governor's Fellow in Economic Development and supported his professors with their economic research. As an undergraduate, he earned Upper Division Honors while studying Economics from the Ogden Honors College.

Before joining our team, David spent two years working for the Louisiana Legislature as a budget analyst creating data visualizations for lawmakers and focusing on the $500 million annual operating budgets for the workforce, economic development and tourism departments. Additionally, he oversaw the tracking of American Rescue Plan Act dollars and the $800 million replenishment of the unemployment insurance trust fund. This skill set is benefitting Louisiana as the state administers about $1 billion in broadband funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in the next five years.

Since joining our Office, David has been instrumental in working with key stakeholders to draft ConnectLA’s Five-Year Action Plan and BEAD Initial Proposal, unlocking $1.36 Billion in federal grants. He has also represented Louisiana by speaking at conferences such as the Minority Business Development Agency Summit, Southeastern Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, Broadband Communities Summit, Quilt Network, Incompas Show, and Louisiana Digital Government Summit.

David is committed to increasing economic, educational and telehealth opportunities for all Louisianians. In his spare time, David enjoys cycling, reading and rooting for Brazil's national soccer team.