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8:00am EDT
8:00am EDT
8:30am EDT
Leader's Roundtable - Building the Broadband Workforce
Friday October 11, 2024 8:30am - 9:00am EDT
Moderators 
Editor, Broadband Nation
Tommy Clift is a multi-disciplined writer, musician and creator. Within tech, he has covered topics in telecom, diversity and inclusion, cybersecurity, AI, cloud technologies, and more. Tommy is a graduate of Colorado University Denver with a degree in music business and a minor in...
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Chief, BroadbandOhio, Ohio Department of Development
Peter serves as the Chief of BroadbandOhio, an office within the Department of Development dedicated to bringing high-speed internet service to every resident in Ohio. Created by Governor Mike DeWine, it serves as the access point for industry and the public for coordinating the state’s...
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City Council President, City of Jackson, MS
Pastor and spiritual shepherd, a teacher of teachers, ministerial and business visionary, motivational speaker, political consultant and grassroots organizer Aaron B. Banks is known for his gift to empower and mobilize people to prove what is acceptable unto the Lord. Aaron B. Banks...
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Chief Strategic Officer, Oklahoma Broadband Office
Edyn Rolls is a dynamic leader in the public and private sectors with experience in various roles. She is currently serving as the Director of Broadband Strategy at the Oklahoma Broadband Office, where she is responsible for implementing the State Broadband Plan. In this role, Edyn...
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Director, Workforce Development, Fiber Broadband Association
Todd joined the Fiber Broadband Association as the Director of Workforce Development in July 2023 after working as the Market President and President of Workforce Development for an Internet Service Provider Startup and the City of Westerville, where he served the community as Chief...
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9:00am EDT
Keynote Fireside Chat- Why Broadband Matters
Friday October 11, 2024 9:00am - 9:20am EDT
Moderators 
Executive Editor, Broadband, Fierce Network
Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
Commissioner Darcie L. Houck was appointed to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) by Governor Gavin Newsom on Feb. 9, 2021. She formerly served as Chief Counsel for the California Energy Commission since 2019.Commissioner Houck was an Administrative Law Judge at the...
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9:20am EDT
Investment Climate for Fiber Networks and BEAD Funding Opportunities
Friday October 11, 2024 9:20am - 9:40am EDT
Moderators 
Executive Editor, Fierce Network
Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer, TWN Communications
JONATHAN ADELSTEIN serve as Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and External Affairs Officer for TWN Communications. He previously served as a Managing Director and Head of Global Policy for DigitalBridge, an investment manager focused on digital infrastructure, including fiber...
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9:40am EDT
Fireside Chat with Verizon
Friday October 11, 2024 9:40am - 10:00am EDT
Moderators 
Chief Executive Officer, Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
SVP Wireline Center & Business Operations, Verizon
Kwame Trotman is Senior Vice President of Wireline Network Center & Business Operations (WNO), with responsibility for wireline network Business Operations, Operations Control Centers (OCC), the Fiber Solutions Center (FSC) and the local transport NOCs. His team is focused on leading...
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10:00am EDT
Leader's Roundtable - Harnessing the Power of Electrical Co-ops to Deliver Broadband to All
Friday October 11, 2024 10:00am - 10:30am EDT
Moderators 
Head of Rural Broadband Initiative, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Cliff Johnson is the Director of the NRECA’s Broadband Initiative, where he is responsible for working across the organization to lead the program’s design, development, and operation.Cliff joined the NRECA in January 2024 following six years at Bloomberg, where he led the marketing...
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President & CEO, Choptank Electric Cooperative
Mike Malandro is the President and CEO of Choptank Electric Cooperative and President of Choptank Fiber, a wholly owned subsidiary, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Mike has worked in the electric utility industry since 1999 and has been with Electric Cooperatives since 2003...
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10:30am EDT
11:15am EDT
Leader's Roundtable - Building Municipal Networks
Friday October 11, 2024 11:15am - 12:00pm EDT
Moderators 
Director, Community Broadband Networks, Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Christopher Mitchell is the Director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) in Minneapolis. Mitchell is a leading national expert on community networks, Internet access, and local broadband policies.Mitchell built MuniNetworks.org...
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Executive Director, Maple Broadband Communications Union District in Vermont
Ellie de Villiers holds a number of positions across the public and private sectors, with a focus on telecommunications and affordable access. Ellie is Executive Director of Maple Broadband Communications Union District in Vermont, USA, and Group Head of Affordable Access Initiatives...
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Solutions Marketing Senior Advisor, Broadband & 5G, Ciena
Vinicius (Vini) Santos is part of Ciena's Global Solutions Marketing team, responsible for business development involving advanced solutions like Next Generation Broadband and Private 5G. He has over 25 years of experience supporting the telecommunication market in Brazil, Italy...
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Community & Regional Partnerships Senior Manager, Maine Connectivity Authority
Executive Director, American Association for Public Broadband
Gigi Sohn is a Distinguished Fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy and a Benton Senior Fellow & Public Advocate. She is the host of the “Tech on the Rocks Podcast.” Gigi sits on the Board of Directors of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.Gigi is one...
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Vice President of Infrastructure and State Broadband Director, Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA)
Sandip Bhowmick currently serves as the Vice President of Infrastructure and State Broadband Director at the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA). He is responsible for overseeing the planning, development, and expansion of broadband infrastructure throughout Arizona. Prior to his current...
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12:00pm EDT
12:20pm EDT
Leader's Roundtable- Driving Digital Equity Through Urban Connectivity
Friday October 11, 2024 12:20pm - 12:50pm EDT
Moderators 
Executive Vice President, Digital Inclusion, Connected Nation
Heather Gate has dedicated over 17 years of her life to bridging the digital divide and enhancing the lives of vulnerable populations through technology access, adoption, and use. Her unwavering passion for this cause is truly inspiring.Heather Gate's professional journey is a testament...
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Director, Office of Statewide Broadband, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
Ronnie is a highly accomplished professional with a commitment to enhancing connectivity and digital equity. With a decade-long career spanning both the private and public sectors, Ronnie has been a driving force in Diversity & Equity initiatives. In 2019, he transitioned to the Office...
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City Broadband Manager, City of Oakland, CA
Luisa has extensive experience working with rural power cooperatives on GPON and XGS-PON network design, engineering, and construction, conducting feasibility studies essential for financial forecasts, designing greenfield fiber-optic networks, and integrating fiber-to-the-home best...
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Broadband and Digital Inclusion Manager, City of Philadelphia, PA
Bio: Juliet Fink Yates has worked on addressing digital equity since 2001 when she managed a small non-profit ISP for 10,000 low-income Philadelphians. In 2010, she wrote, in collaboration with the City of Philadelphia, a broadband stimulus grant that brought $5.4 million to low-income...
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12:50pm EDT
2:00pm EDT
Fireside Chat with AlixPartners
Friday October 11, 2024 2:00pm - 2:20pm EDT
Moderators
Executive Editor, Broadband, Fierce Network
Partner & Managing Director, AlixPartners
Andrej leads the Americas’ Digital Infrastructure practice and is experienced in helping companies solve operational and strategic challenges both as an internal manager and as a consultant in different functions across North America & Europe.His primary focus is on large-scale...
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2:00pm EDT
Fireside Chat with the CEO of Maple Broadband & Chair of the Vermont Communications Union Districts Association
Friday October 11, 2024 2:00pm - 2:25pm EDT
Moderators 
Group Director, Broadband, Questex
Alejandro Piñero is Group Director for Broadband and Streaming at Questex family. As part of this role, Alejandro oversees the strategic direction and product strategy for portfolios such as Broadband Nation and StreamTV. Prior to joining Questex, Alejandro was Senior Research Manager...
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Executive Director, Maple Broadband Communications Union District in Vermont
Ellie de Villiers holds a number of positions across the public and private sectors, with a focus on telecommunications and affordable access. Ellie is Executive Director of Maple Broadband Communications Union District in Vermont, USA, and Group Head of Affordable Access Initiatives...
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2:20pm EDT
Keynote - Public-Private Partnership Models
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 2:40pm EDT
Speakers 
Executive Vice President of Legislative & External Affairs, New England Connectivity & Telecommunications Association
Anna Lucey joined NECTA in 2023 as Executive Vice President of Legislative and External Affairs. Before joining NECTA, Anna put to work her years of experience developing public policy at her own Massachusetts’ focused public policy consulting firm, A. Lucey Strategies, representing...
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2:25pm EDT
Keynote - Unlocking Communities with Connectivity
Friday October 11, 2024 2:25pm - 2:45pm EDT
Speakers 
Digital Connectivity Manager, Georgia Technology Authority
Oneisha Freeman Rojales is a Georgia native and a leader in digital inclusion with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. As the Digital Connectivity Manager at the Georgia Technology Authority, she is part of the broadband team and spearheads efforts to ensure equitable...
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2:40pm EDT
Panel - Broadband Private Equity Panel
Friday October 11, 2024 2:40pm - 3:20pm EDT
Moderators 
SVP & Lead Analyst, One Touch Intelligence
Co-Founder & CFO, Amperage Infrastructure
Jack Lawrence is a highly regarded senior executive with a forward-thinking mindset, drawing upon decades of experience to ensure the operational excellence and financial vitality of both private and public companies spanning diverse industries. Currently, Jack serves as CFO and Chief...
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SVP Corporate Investments, Highline Fiber
Tyson Begly is the Senior Vice President of Corporate Investments for Highline in West Point. Mr. Begly has worked in the technology sector for more than 20 years, including in consulting, executive, and investment roles. Currently, he's focused on strategic growth initiatives via...
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Managing Director, Head Of Digital Infrastructure, Solomon Partners
Irtiaz Ahmad is a Managing Director in
Infrastructure, Power & Renewables and serves as Head of Digital Infrastructure. He joined Solomon Partners in 2021. Irtiaz specializes in advising public and private clients around the world in the Digital Infrastructure & Services sector on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and public & private c...
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2:45pm EDT
Panel - Why Connectivity Matters - Summary of Key Takeaways from Broadband Nation Expo 2024
Friday October 11, 2024 2:45pm - 3:30pm EDT
Moderators 
President, Lathen Consulting LLC
Vice President & Lead Legislative Counsel, NCTA - The Internet & Television Association
Alex is Vice President & Lead Legislative Counsel of NCTA – The Internet & Television Association. Alex is responsible for NCTA’s federal and state legislative portfolio and for the association’s advocacy and partnerships with various national intergovernmental organizations...
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Chief, BroadbandOhio, Ohio Department of Development
Peter serves as the Chief of BroadbandOhio, an office within the Department of Development dedicated to bringing high-speed internet service to every resident in Ohio. Created by Governor Mike DeWine, it serves as the access point for industry and the public for coordinating the state’s...
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Executive Director, Kentucky Office of Broadband Development
Meghan Sandfoss is the Executive Director of the Kentucky Office of Broadband Development, a role to which she was appointed in September 2022 by Governor Andy Beshear. In this role, she oversees planning and implementation of federal funding for the deployment of broadband infrastructure...
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Director, Puerto Rico Broadband Program
Michelle M. Cabiya Zorilla is a highly experienced professional with a solid educational background in project management and business development. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Physical Geography, specializing in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and a minor in Communications...
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