2025 SPEAKERS

Dr. Christopher Ali is the Pioneers Chair in Telecommunications and Professor of Telecommunications in the Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State. He holds a Ph.D. in communication studies from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania (2013). An...

Ariana is a Principal with Boundary Street Capital, a Stonepeak Credit firm focused on providing flexible credit solutions for digital infrastructure and digital services companies. Ariana is responsible for origination and underwriting of transactions in the digital infrastructure space. Prior to...

Taylre Beaty started as the State Broadband Director at Tennessee Economic and Community Development (TNECD) in September 2021. Through her role at TNECD, Taylre is leading an effort to invest and administer over $1.45B in federally funded broadband projects across the state of Tennessee, with the...

Tyson Begly serves as the Chief Financial Officer at Highline, where he drives the strategic growth of fiber broadband connectivity in rural America. Overseeing finance, accounting, regulatory, M&A, and grant programs, Tyson combines strategic leadership with a passion for bridging the digital...

Charlotte Bewersdorff is a distinguished leader in the field of broadband and digital infrastructure, currently serving as the Vice President for Community Engagement at Merit Network, a pioneering non-profit organization delivering high-performance networking and services to...

Amanda Borrett is the Vice President of Business Development at Vivacity Infrastructure Group, bringing over 18 years of experience in broadband infrastructure, sales, and strategic partnerships across public and private sectors. Her expertise spans middle-mile and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH)...

Scott Buehrle guides the overall strategy and sales efforts at Frontier for the multifamily, HOA, SFR and homebuilder segments. He leverages over 20 years of experience serving the multifamily and HOA industries in order to effectively partner with community owners, boards, developers, and property ...

Casey is a Director of Infrastructure and Public-Private Partnerships at KeyBanc Capital Markets. Casey’s professional experience includes 10 years of strategic and financial advisory services, transaction structuring, procurement and execution for clients in the transportation, social...

Jericho Casper is a journalist at Broadband Breakfast, where she covers federal and state broadband policy, major infrastructure funding programs like BEAD, and the intersection of communications law and public interest. Prior to her current role, she worked in advocacy to repeal state-level...

Kelleigh Cole has spent her career working on broadband policy, infrastructure mapping, best practices and collaborative partnerships. As the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Utah Education and Telehealth Network, she helps the organization identify opportunities to improve broadband access ...

Chris is Vice President of Smart Buildings where he is responsible for Planned Communities and Multi-Tenant Fiber negotiations and deployments. Chris served as Vice President & Lead Consultant for a Frontier Communications responsible for expanding and refreshing key MDU partnerships while...

Dr. Pierrette Renée Dagg is the Director of Research for Merit Network at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She oversees Technology Impact Research, Network and Cybersecurity Research, and R&D. She serves as a Research Associate at the Quello Center for Media and Information...

Rebecca Denman serves as the Vice President of Business Development for TAK Broadband. With over 20 years of experience in marketing and business development, Rebecca has led the consulting, technical engineering, joint use, project management, and construction initiatives across the...

Adlane Fellah, CWTS and CWNA, is the CEO of Maravedis, a leading wireless analyst firm. Mr. Fellah has authored numerous landmark reports on Wi-Fi, LTE, FWA, 5G, and technology trends in various industries, including multi-family, retail, restaurant, and hospitality. He is regularly asked to speak...

Justin Foster serves as the Director of Community Technology Services with Quarterra. In this role, he heads up the home automation and managed WiFi programs, other roles include working with the development teams and consulting firms on service provider selection as well as infrastructure...

Oneisha Freeman Rojales, a Georgia native, is a leader in digital opportunity, access, and use. As the Digital Connectivity Manager at the Georgia Technology Authority, she plays a key role on the States broadband team, leading efforts to ensure all Georgians have equitable access to...

A tireless digital opportunity advocate, Paul Garnett has over 25 years of experience in the domestic and international telecommunications and technology sectors. Paul is Founder and CEO of Vernonburg Group, a consulting firm based in Savannah, Georgia, USA that works with large and small...

Stefan manages the acquisition, entitlement, design and development of Terwilliger Pappas’ multifamily projects in the Charlotte market. Stefan has over 20 years of professional experience in Real Estate Development. During his career, he has successfully developed over 1000 apartment units, 1,050...

As the Executive Vice President of Digital Inclusion for Connected Nation (CN), Heather Gate is responsible for strategy development and implementation of programs that impact digital inclusion for all people in all places. Ms. Gate has more than 18 years of experience working in digital inclusion...

Genesis Gavino brings over a decade of progressive experience in local government that includes navigating complex organizational structures and driving impactful change by spearheading initiatives focused on enhancing operational efficiency, fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders, and...

Sean is the Vice President of Business Development at EducationSuperHighway. He leads the team in developing a vision for how managed Wi-Fi networks can be deployed in underserved apartment communities while creating and executing a strategy for scaling the Apartment Wi-Fi program...

Joe Geroux is a seasoned professional in the telecommunications industry, currently serving as the Chief Operating Officer at Dojo Networks.com. With decades of experience in the field, Joe has a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions to enhance connectivity for...

As Chief Government Affairs Officer at Ripple Fiber, Bobbie Gilbert has over 17 years of experience in legislative processes and government relations. Her insightful guidance and extensive knowledge of fiber broadband economics position her as a key player in market expansion efforts. She pairs her ...

Aadil Ginwala is Senior Policy Advisor to the CIO at the University of Pittsburgh.  His focus is the economic growth and social benefit potential possible from universal affordable high speed internet access, especially in the context of ensuring next-generation cutting-edge speeds and...

Ethan Gnepp is a seasoned professional in the telecommunications industry, currently serving as the Vice President at Whitesky, a leading provider of innovative broadband solutions. With a strong background in technology and business development, Ethan has a proven track record of delivering...

Lev Gonick is an educator, technologist and smart city architect, recognized for his forward-thinking approach to advances in artificial intelligence. He has been teaching, working, and living on the “Net” for more than 25 years. Today, Lev is the Chief Information Officer at Arizona State...

  Kami Griffiths is the executive director and co-founder of Community Tech Network, a nonprofit with the mission to transform lives through digital equity. With over 20 years of experience working in the public sector, Kami has developed a passion for helping people gain access and better utilize ...

Robert is a leader in the institutional real estate and technology industries with a 25-year track record. He is committed to helping institutional real estate owners and managers create value from investments in technology by enhancing the customer experience and forming long-lasting partnerships...

BARBARA HAYES Chief Economic Development Officer Barbara Hayes is the Chief Economic Development Officer at Rural County Representatives of Calfornia (RCRC) and oversees implementation of the organization's economic development activities. In addition to assisting and supporting local...

Dustin Heath, Director of Engineering Operations at CHR Solutions, is at the forefront of pioneering new technologies, directing training initiatives, and strategically managing contractor resources. Since joining CHR Solutions in 2016 as a CAD Manager, Dustin has consistently demonstrated his...

Suzanne Heritage is Director of Community Partnerships & Policy at Underline. With a passion for bridging the digital divide, Suzanne works at the intersection of technology, public policy, and community development to champion connectivity infrastructure that empowers communities to...

I am a Founding Member of Intellipop, LLC, a fiber and wireless internet service provider headquartered in Utah. Our mission is to offer internet service that prioritizes customer experience while continually pushing for faster, more reliable broadband services. My work focuses on...

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 CPUC from 2016...

Quinn Jordan is a visionary leader in the telecommunications industry, currently serving as Director of Strategic Partnerships at TEC of Jackson, MS and the former Executive Director of the Mississippi Broadband Association. With a strong background in technology and community development, Quinn is ...

Alex Kelley, Director of Broadband Consulting, has led CORI’s broadband efforts for the past 7 years. During that time, his team has supported the acquisition of over $185M in funding towards infrastructure deployments, worked on behalf of 6 different state broadband offices, and supported local...

Sean Kelly, RCDD, CFHP, is a 25+ year fiber cable and connectivity professional working in technical, engineering, and business roles. Before joining Light Brigade as Technical Director and Head of Marketing, he spent his career with leading fiber connectivity companies including TE...

  Biography Bob Knight President & CEO Harry – an integrated Marketing Agency   Bob Knight is the President & CEO of Harry, an integrated marketing agency headquartered in Armonk, NY. Harry is the dominant agency in the fields of telecommunications, infrastructure, healthcare, senior...

Catherine Krantz is Area Director for Broadband at Communities Unlimited managing the implementation of CU's broadband strategy across their seven-state service area: AL, AR, LA, MS, OK, TN, TX, leading a team of broadband planners, broadband technical assistance providers, and digital equity...

Brent Legg serves as Executive Vice President at nonprofit Connected Nation, where he leads the organization’s joint venture to establish neutral Internet Exchange Point (IXP) facilities in unserved markets across the United States.  Mr. Legg has more than 23 years of experience working at the...

Casey Lide is a Partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm Keller & Heckman, LLP.   He represents clients on a range of issues involving broadband, telecommunications, and related infrastructure matters.  Casey counsels public- and private-sector clients on contract negotiation and...

Andrew D. Lipman practices in most aspects of communications law and related fields, including regulatory, transactional, litigation, legislative, and land use. Andy’s clients in the private and public sectors include those in the areas of local, long distance, and international telephone common...

Philip Macres, a principal at Klein Law Group, PLLC, counsels broadband providers on increasing profitability, reducing risk, and furthering their corporate objectives through effective and efficient regulatory, litigation, transactional and business strategies. Macres, who has more than 25 years...

Frank Martinez serves as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Connected Nation, a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation whose core mission is to improve lives by increasing access, adoption, and use of broadband and related technologies. Mr. Martinez leads Connected Nation’s engagement with Tribal...

Derek is a public servant, technologist, network architect, and innovator. Throughout his career he has been focused on building innovative solutions to address the most complex challenges faced by education today. As the Executive Director Derek serves as the chief executive of Arizona’s...

Carol Mattey is the Founding Member and Principal of Mattey Consulting LLC, a Washington, D.C.-based firm that advises broadband providers and others active in the telecommunications industry.  She uses her many years of experience as a senior executive in the U.S. government, consultant, and...

Mr. McGowan is an enrolled tribal member with the Little Shell Band of Chippewas in Montana and was raised in Poplar Montana, the Tribal headquarters of the Fort Peck Tribe. He has served in many capacities in American Indian Tribal governments for the past 29 years, and spent his life working to...

Kevin McGuire is the Vice President of Broadband Policy at Great Plains Communications, the leading telecommunications provider serving the Midwest. In this role, he collaborates with state and federal organizations to advocate for policies that support broadband expansion and accessibility. With...

Joshua Meadows is a service assistant professor in the Management Information Systems (MIS) Department at the John Chambers College of Business and Economics and serves as the director of Data Driven WV, an outreach center that connects organizations with WVU students and faculty to provide...

America MelragonDirector of Ancillary Services America Melragon is a seasoned multifamily professional with 19 years of experience driving revenue growth and operational innovation across the housing industry. As Director of Ancillary Services, she specializes in Internet of Things (IoT)...

Lee Miller is the Vice President of Multifamily at Brivo, a global leader in cloud-based security technology. In this role, he leads strategic initiatives with top multifamily firms and developers to enhance operational efficiency and ensure the safety of residents, properties, and assets. Before...

Gabriel Moran is the Government Affairs & Policy Manager at Tarana Wireless, a leader in next-generation Fixed Wireless Access (ngFWA) technology. In this role, he drives the development and execution of local, state, and federal policy strategies to bridge the digital divide through innovative ...

Amol S. Naik is Principal and Founder of Resurgens Strategies, utilizing 20 years of experience as an executive and seasoned attorney at the intersection of government affairs, politics, law, and technology. He has held leadership roles in both the public and private sectors, including as the City...

Tony Naughtin has senior executive experience in operating management, business development, and consulting roles. He has been a successful CEO and entrepreneur, and has expertise in developing and executing business models and successful business relationships. From September 2021 until October...

Ryan Nelson is a seasoned professional in the telecommunications industry, currently serving as the Director of Provider Relations at Onboard Powered by Conservice. Ryan joined Onboard when it was a 10-person startup and has played a key role in its growth and success. He has been instrumental in...

Melissa Newman has over 20 years of experience as a seasoned Executive in telecommunications companies with expertise in government affairs, public relations and legal. Recently, Melissa worked at Transit Wireless as Vice President of External Affairs and Senior Legal Counsel in New York City where ...

Heidi Norman serves as the CIO and Director, Department of Innovation & Performance for the City of Pittsburgh, PA. I&P elevates the work of city government by designing and deploying modern technology solutions, collaborating with partners to test innovative ideas, and developing leaders’...

Michelle began her consulting work in January 2024 under the new LLC, N-Sights Consulting.   To date, her clients have included a national health care insurance plan; a national real estate advocacy organization, a national affordable housing syndicator; a housing finance agency; an Ohio-based...

Brandon is the Vice President of Technology at MidSouth Electric Cooperative. He has worked in various technical roles over the last 13 years, and currently leads the cooperative’s technology departments, including its fiber project. Brandon’s focus is grid modernization through the use of...

Adeyinka O. Ogunlegan is a distinguished government affairs leader with over 15 years of experience engaging policy makers at all levels of government. In her current role as Chief of Staff & Vice President, Federal Affairs at the National Urban League Washington Bureau, Adeyinka oversees the...

Brian O'Hara joined NRECA in October 2017 as Senior Director Regulatory Affairs focusing on telecommunications and broadband issues. In this position, he develops and directs association regulatory policy on telecom and broadband issues for over 900 electric cooperatives, many of whom are...

As the President and Chief Marketing Officer at Parks Associates, Elizabeth Parks plays a pivotal role at Parks Associates.  With over two decades of dedication to the company, she has been instrumental in shaping its growth and success, along with the continued focus of delivering timely and...

Matt Paschick is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. As the Principal of National Wi Fi, he is dedicated to delivering cutting-edge connectivity solutions for communities across the country. With a strong background in wireless technology and ...

TL;DR --> My journey is about learning: learning what truly matters, learning from smart people, and learning the process to build great things.  The rest is mostly details. Mostly Details: In school I studied as a materials engineer, but somehow I've spent the last 20 years in operations...

Jade Piros de Carvalho is the owner of Per Aspera Advisors, a broadband policy consultancy in Kansas. Prior to starting her consultancy, she handled advocacy and partnerships for an infrastructure group and managed government affairs, business development, and marketing for a regional ISP. She also ...

Helen Ramirez, ICMA-CM, AICP is the City Manager for the City of Brownsville, the largest City in the Rio Grande Valley and the 18th largest City is the State of Texas, serving approximately 190,000 residents. She is the first female to serve the City of Brownsville as City Manager since its...

Eric Rex joined KeyBanc Capital Markets in July 2013 and is currently a Director primarily focusing on the expansion of the Firm’s Digital Infrastructure practice and executing transactions by serving the Firm’s clients in accessing the tax-exempt and taxable debt capital markets.  Over the past...

Edyn, a member of the Chickasaw Nation and one of the 2 founding members of the Oklahoma Broadband Office, serves as the Chief Strategic Officer at the OBO. In this role, Edyn works closely with the Broadband Governing Board and the Broadband Expansion Council to ensure that affordable, high-speed...

Mike Romano is the Executive Vice President of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, overseeing NTCA’s public policy, government affairs, and business development initiatives, the educational and community-focused mission of the Foundation for Rural Service, and several areas of internal...

Tom is an experienced Senior Account Manager at RUCKUS Commscope, specializing in the Multi-Dwelling Unit (MDU) sector. He has a proven track record of designing and implementing IoT projects for MDU, as well as designing managed Wi-Fi networks tailored to meet the requirements RPFs and partner...

Kaylon Ross is a seasoned professional with a proven track record in the real estate industry, currently serving as the Senior Director of Ancillary Services at AvalonBay Communities Inc. With over a decade of experience in the field, Kaylon has developed a deep understanding of how to deliver...

Dave (Debjoyti) Roy is a TMT Consulting Executive with over 30 years of Revenue Growth & Leadership (of several $1B+ Product lines) via Business & Technology Transformations, Product Management, Product Development, Technology Strategy, Technology Architecture & Design, Technology...

Valerie M. Sargent is a dynamic speaker, trainer, consultant, and executive coach specializing in multifamily leasing, sales, marketing, customer service, broadband, and leadership. As an emotional intelligence strategist, she helps companies take their teamwork and communication to new...

As the National Associate Director of AT&T’s Connected Communities Property Acquisition Organization, Sophia is responsible for growing Fiber and Wireless subscribers, revenue, new contracted units, and profitability on Connected Communities MDU and SFU properties with nationwide...

As OeHI’s Deputy Director, Karen provides strategic management and alignment across Colorado’s Health IT Roadmap projects, operations and initiatives as well as managing support on OeHI contracts and budgeting pieces. Karen is passionate about health parity, especially increasing access to...

As the executive director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, Angela Siefer leads the digital equity movement. Since earning her master’s in sociology from the University of Toledo in 1997, she has worked in the field we now call “digital inclusion.” Starting with setting up computer labs...

Steve Smith is the Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of LiveOak Fiber, a broadband service provider dedicated to delivering high-speed fiber internet across the Southeast. With over 25 years of leadership experience in the telecom industry, Steve has a proven track record of building...

Jeff Sobotka, Senior Vice President, eX² Technology and Vivacity Infrastructure Group, oversees government and municipalities sector activities at Vivacity, focusing on the fiber, wireless and hybrid broadband infrastructure needs of America’s underserved communities. This includes developing...

Megan has more than 15 years of experience working in private and nonprofit organizations in the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan. She has worked in the education, technology, arts, and consumer product sectors throughout her career. Currently, she serves as the Chief Executive Officer of...

  Sean is a partner at Keller and Heckman,  where he represents clients across the country on a broad range of communications matters, including high-capacity broadband network projects, public-private broadband partnerships, pole attachments, small cell and wireless facility siting, right-of-way...

Annie Stroud leads the Generation WV Broadband program, leveraging her expertise in project management, economic development, and community building to expand broadband access in the state. Since 2020, the GWV Broadband program has helped secure over $46 million in funding for broadband...

James is the CEO of Accord Telecommunications Collaborative, a regional, fiber, middle-mile consortium in Indiana and surrounding states.  Originally from a small town in Texas, he now resides in Bloomington, Indiana with his wife and their four kids. He has a passion for building new...

J. Kirk Taylor is an attorney with the law firm of Hubacher Ames & Taylor, PLLC. He is an experienced telecom, technology, and real estate operations attorney, licensed since 1997 with extensive in-house and law firm experience. After co-founding and practicing as a partner in a boutique law...

Andrea has almost two decades of experience as an entrepreneur and innovator in the multifamily real estate industry. She founded Livsee™ to revolutionize the rental market and become the most trusted platform for transparent and data driven renting. She has spent her career implementing technology ...

Karen Thompson stands at the forefront of revolutionizing telecommunications in the Multifamily Dwelling Unit (MDU) sector as the Director of Telecommunications at AvalonBay Communities, Inc. Karen brings unmatched expertise to AvalonBay's mission of enhancing the resident experience. Karen...

Ashley is a highly skilled engineering and global supply chain leader with 22+ years of experience. She has spent the majority of her career scaling critical projects for KGPCo and Fortune 500 telecommunications corporation, Verizon Communications, Inc., both domestically and abroad. In Ashley’s...

Mark Vasconi Mark’s career spans 40 years of telecom policy and regulatory experience in both public and private sectors. Most recently, Mark served for two years as Washington’s Broadband Office Director where his primary focus was broadband expansion and directing Washington’s efforts with the...

Mr. Waldeisen is a Senior Vice President in Houlihan Lokey’s Technology Group. He focuses exclusively on the digital infrastructure sector, with a primary concentration on fiber/broadband. Mr. Waldeisen has advised on numerous buyside and sellside M&A transactions as well as a variety of...

Claire Ward has been with NoaNet for 10 years and currently serves as the Manager of Market Development and Communications. She collaborates with community leaders and stakeholders to develop broadband strategic plans and economic development initiatives prioritizing connectivity and digital...

Richard Watts Speaker Bio Richard WattsChief Commercial Officer, International Fiber Alliance (IFA) With over 25 years of senior leadership experience across the telecoms and digital infrastructure industries, Richard has led national and international fiber strategies that bring together public...

Molly Weiner leads local and regional planning efforts, including Connected Nation's broadband assessment and planning program, Connected, across the country. She supports digital inclusion programming and state broadband planning efforts, developing and maintaining partner relationships in...

    Mike leads the Verizon Enhanced Communities group within Verizon.  His team has been dedicated to serving the multifamily market now for more than a dozen years.  In that capacity Mike is responsible for bringing the best of Verizon to multifamily residential developers and operators to...

Mr. Wiebe joined Moorgate Partners in 2022 to advise digital infrastructure companies and has over 25 years experience in investment banking and investing. Prior to joining Moorgate, Mr. Wiebe was a Managing Director of Houlihan Lokey and a member of the Houlihan Broadband Team Technology...

Linda Willey serves as Vice President of Business Services for Camden Property Trust, an S&P 400 company. Camden is one of the largest publicly traded multifamily companies in the United States. As of January 31, 2025, Camden Property Trust owned and operated 175 properties containing 59,210...

Ed Wolff, a proven and seasoned executive leader with over 25 years of multifamily and technology expertise, currently serves as the President of Aerwave.  Ed is responsible for driving revenue and retention, including strategic growth initiatives and go-to-market strategies. Aerwave is reimagining ...

As the head of AT&T’s Connected Communities Property Acquisition Organization, Matt is responsible for growing Fiber and Wireless subscribers, revenue, new contracted units, and profitability on Connected Communities MDU and SFU properties with nationwide responsibility.Matt has been with...

Rusty Manages AT&T’s Connected Communities Product Development for the MDU product AT&T Community Internet (ACI). Rusty is responsible defining the ACI product requirements, system design and customer experience to meet the growing MDU demands for Property-Wide / Manage Wi-Fi Services.Rusty ...