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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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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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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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