diff --git a/cli/cmd/lab_reset.go b/cli/cmd/lab_reset.go
index f92b0c51..fdad9080 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/lab_reset.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/lab_reset.go
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ func purgeUnmanaged(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts purgeOptions)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	client, err := daws.NewClient(ctx, region)
+	client, err := daws.NewClient(ctx, region, "")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cli/cmd/scoreboard.go b/cli/cmd/scoreboard.go
index 188dac7a..8f8de009 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/scoreboard.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/scoreboard.go
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ func init() {
 	scoreboardRunCmd.Flags().Duration("interval", 3*time.Second, "Poll interval (e.g. 3s, 1500ms)")
 	scoreboardRunCmd.Flags().Bool("restart", false, "Delete the existing report file on the target before starting (no-op for --transport=ares)")
 	scoreboardRunCmd.Flags().Bool("once", false, "Fetch + verify once, print the static board, exit (no TUI)")
+	scoreboardRunCmd.Flags().String("profile", "", "AWS named profile for SSM/ares transports")
 }
 
 func runScoreboardGenerateKey(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
@@ -153,6 +154,7 @@ func buildTransport(ctx context.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, cfg *config.Config)
 	instanceID, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("instance-id")
 	ssmRegion, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("ssm-region")
 	aresBinary, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("ares-binary")
+	profile, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString("profile")
 
 	switch transport {
 	case "local":
@@ -165,7 +167,7 @@ func buildTransport(ctx context.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, cfg *config.Config)
 		if region == "" {
 			region = cfg.Region
 		}
-		st, err := scoreboard.NewSSMTransport(ctx, instanceID, reportPath, region)
+		st, err := scoreboard.NewSSMTransport(ctx, instanceID, reportPath, region, profile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, "", err
 		}
@@ -178,7 +180,7 @@ func buildTransport(ctx context.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, cfg *config.Config)
 		if region == "" {
 			region = cfg.Region
 		}
-		at, err := scoreboard.NewAresTransport(ctx, instanceID, aresBinary, region)
+		at, err := scoreboard.NewAresTransport(ctx, instanceID, aresBinary, region, profile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, "", err
 		}
diff --git a/cli/internal/aws/client.go b/cli/internal/aws/client.go
index e48d2732..5a232024 100644
--- a/cli/internal/aws/client.go
+++ b/cli/internal/aws/client.go
@@ -25,18 +25,27 @@ var (
 	mu      sync.Mutex
 )
 
-// NewClient creates or returns a cached AWS client for the given region.
-func NewClient(ctx context.Context, region string) (*Client, error) {
+// NewClient creates or returns a cached AWS client for the given region and
+// optional profile. Pass an empty profile to use the SDK default chain.
+func NewClient(ctx context.Context, region, profile string) (*Client, error) {
 	mu.Lock()
 	defer mu.Unlock()
 
-	if c, ok := clients[region]; ok {
+	key := region + "\x00" + profile
+	if c, ok := clients[key]; ok {
 		return c, nil
 	}
 
-	cfg, err := awsconfig.LoadDefaultConfig(ctx, awsconfig.WithRegion(region))
+	opts := []func(*awsconfig.LoadOptions) error{awsconfig.WithRegion(region)}
+	if profile != "" {
+		opts = append(opts, awsconfig.WithSharedConfigProfile(profile))
+	}
+	cfg, err := awsconfig.LoadDefaultConfig(ctx, opts...)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("load AWS config for %s: %w", region, err)
+		if profile != "" {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("load AWS config for region=%s profile=%s: %w", region, profile, err)
+		}
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("load AWS config for region=%s: %w", region, err)
 	}
 
 	c := &Client{
@@ -45,7 +54,7 @@ func NewClient(ctx context.Context, region string) (*Client, error) {
 		STS:    sts.NewFromConfig(cfg),
 		Region: region,
 	}
-	clients[region] = c
+	clients[key] = c
 	return c, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cli/internal/aws/provider.go b/cli/internal/aws/provider.go
index b4ea058d..33d4acff 100644
--- a/cli/internal/aws/provider.go
+++ b/cli/internal/aws/provider.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func init() {
 		if opts.Region == "" {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("AWS region is required")
 		}
-		client, err := NewClient(ctx, opts.Region)
+		client, err := NewClient(ctx, opts.Region, "")
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/cli/internal/scoreboard/transport.go b/cli/internal/scoreboard/transport.go
index 1b6bb071..102930f2 100644
--- a/cli/internal/scoreboard/transport.go
+++ b/cli/internal/scoreboard/transport.go
@@ -66,11 +66,11 @@ type SSMTransport struct {
 
 // NewSSMTransport builds an SSM transport. Region defaults to the SDK's
 // default if empty.
-func NewSSMTransport(ctx context.Context, instanceID, reportPath, region string) (*SSMTransport, error) {
+func NewSSMTransport(ctx context.Context, instanceID, reportPath, region, profile string) (*SSMTransport, error) {
 	if instanceID == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("instance ID is required")
 	}
-	c, err := awsclient.NewClient(ctx, region)
+	c, err := awsclient.NewClient(ctx, region, profile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/cli/internal/scoreboard/transport_ares.go b/cli/internal/scoreboard/transport_ares.go
index 627d5df3..b10b87cc 100644
--- a/cli/internal/scoreboard/transport_ares.go
+++ b/cli/internal/scoreboard/transport_ares.go
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ type AresTransport struct {
 
 // NewAresTransport constructs an AresTransport. binaryPath defaults to
 // /usr/local/bin/ares when empty.
-func NewAresTransport(ctx context.Context, instanceID, binaryPath, region string) (*AresTransport, error) {
+func NewAresTransport(ctx context.Context, instanceID, binaryPath, region, profile string) (*AresTransport, error) {
 	if instanceID == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("instance ID is required")
 	}
-	c, err := awsclient.NewClient(ctx, region)
+	c, err := awsclient.NewClient(ctx, region, profile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}