Darren Achord
Director, U.S. Public Policy
Amazon
Darren Achord is a Director, Public Policy, leading Amazon's Kuiper and Connectivity policy team. Darren joined Amazon in 2016. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), where he advised the Majority Whip on tech and telecom issues. Earlier he served as Senior Legislative Assistant to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). Darren earned a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Alabama and an M.P.A. from Louisiana State University.
Eduard Bartholme
Senior Outreach Director, Broadband Data Task Force
FCC
Eduard Bartholme serves as Senior Outreach Director on the Broadband Data Task Force, coordinating external engagement with consumers, governmental entities and filers. In this role, he oversees the technical assistance teams for the Broadband Data Collection, ensuring that system users have the support they need to contribute to the collection. Ed joins the Task Force from the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, where he currently serves as a Deputy Bureau Chief. He joined the FCC in 2019 to lead the Commission’s education and outreach efforts along with the consumer complaints and inquiries division. Prior to joining the FCC, Ed spent 10 years as the Executive Director and CEO of Call For Action, Inc. (CFA), an international, non-profit network of hotlines serving consumers and small businesses. At CFA, he was involved in the expansion of the organization to eleven new locations and worked to broaden its network of media affiliate offices to include radio, TV and print outlets. He developed consumer education guides on a wide variety of issues and was frequently interviewed as an expert by local and national media outlets. Additionally, he oversaw volunteer teams at 23 remote offices and spearheaded the redesign of the case management database used by the organization to track consumer complaints.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn
R-Tennessee
Marsha Blackburn was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018, and is currently serving her first term representing the state of Tennessee. Before her election to the Senate, Marsha represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District. Marsha’s public service is dedicated to promoting opportunities for women and making America a more prosperous place to live. Marsha’s leadership philosophy is based on her experiences in the private sector as a small business woman and author, as well as being a mother and grandmother. Marsha began her career in public service in 1995 when she was named executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment, and Music Commission. In 1998, she was elected to the Tennessee State Senate. In the state legislature, she earned a reputation for fiscal responsibility and government accountability by identifying waste and offering realistic solutions to Tennessee’s budget challenges. While serving in the Tennessee Senate, Marsha led a statewide grassroots campaign to defeat a proposed state income tax. The tax was defeated, and Marsha’s leadership earned her a reputation as an anti-tax champion. In 2014, the people of Tennessee passed an amendment to the state constitution to expressly prohibit a state income tax – a fitting cap to a 14-year battle. In 2002, Marsha was elected to represent the people of Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District based on her record in the state legislature. She brought her Tennessee values to Washington, DC, and became a leader in the fight for small, efficient federal government that is accountable to its citizens. As a Congressman, Marsha was often selected by her colleagues to lead the charge for principled conservativism. Her congressional career was also noted for her Chairmanship of the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, as well as bipartisan expertise in defending songwriters’ and performers’ rights.Marsha is a member of numerous charitable organizations and is an active member of her church, Christ Presbyterian. Marsha and her husband Chuck live in Williamson County, Tennessee. They have two children, Mary Morgan (Paul) Ketchel and Chad (Hillary) Blackburn, three grandsons, and a granddaughter. Originally from Laurel, Mississippi, Marsha is a graduate of Mississippi State University.
Van Bloys
Managing Counsel
Crown Castle
Van Bloys is Managing Counsel for Crown Castle, where he counsels the company on utility infrastructure siting issues nationwide. Van is well versed in laws governing the deployment of wireline and wireless telecommunications facilities, including pole attachments and small cell siting. He works together with utilities, jurisdictions and other entities to ensure the safe and reliable deployment of facilities in the right-of-way. Prior to joining Crown Castle, he was an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, where he represented telecommunications providers before the FCC, state public service commissions, local governments and the courts. Van also previously served as counsel to the Wireless Infrastructure Association, with advocacy before state legislatures, public utility commissions and municipalities. He received his B.A. in Art History from Georgetown University and his J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, where he served as Note & Comment Editor on the Administrative Law Review, as well as a Classroom Dean’s Fellow.
Brendan Carr
Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission
Commissioner Brendan Carr is the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, having served previously as the FCC’s General Counsel. Nominated by both President Trump and President Biden, Carr has been confirmed unanimously by the Senate three times. Described by Axios as “the FCC’s 5G crusader,” Carr has led the FCC’s work to modernize its infrastructure rules and accelerate the buildout of high-speed networks. His reforms cut billions of dollars in red tape, enabled the private sector to construct high-speed networks in communities across the country, and extended America’s global leadership in 5G. Carr is also focused on expanding America’s skilled workforce—the tower climbers and construction crews needed to build next-gen networks. His jobs initiative promotes community colleges and apprenticeships as a pipeline for good-paying 5G jobs. He is recognizing America’s talented tower crews through a series of “5G Ready” Hard Hat presentations. Carr leads a groundbreaking telehealth initiative at the FCC. The Connected Care Pilot Program supports the delivery of high-quality care to low-income Americans and veterans. Carr brings nearly 20 years of private and public sector experience in communications and tech policy to his position. Before joining the FCC as a staffer back in 2012, he worked as an attorney at Wiley Rein LLP in the firm’s appellate, litigation, and telecom practices. Previously, Carr clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for Judge Dennis Shedd. After attending Georgetown University for his undergrad, Carr earned his J.D. magna cum laude from the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law where he served as an editor of the Catholic University Law Review.
Domenick Carroll
External Affairs Manager
Crown Castle
Domenick Carroll is an External Affairs Manager at Crown Castle, responsible for Western Pa., Mich., Ohio and W.Va. In his over eight years at the company, he has been instrumental in supporting the external affairs team. Prior to his time at Crown, he worked as a Community Development Manager for his local Congressman in his Pittsburgh Office and a Clerk for the Natural Resource Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Born and raised in Pittsburgh where he attended Central Catholic High School. He went on to graduate from John Carroll University, earning a B.A. in Political Science. Those that know him know he is an avid University of Michigan football fan so the area he covers for Crown suits him well.
Mignon L. Clyburn
Former Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission
Mignon L. Clyburn served as Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 2009 to 2018, and acting chair from May to November of 2013. During her nearly nine years at the FCC, Commissioner Clyburn was committed to closing persistent digital and opportunities divides that continue to challenge rural, Native and low wealth communities. Specifically, she pushed for the modernization of the agency’s Lifeline Program, which assists low income consumers in defraying the cost of voice and broadband service, championed diversity in media ownership, initiated Inmate Calling Services reforms, emphasized diversity and inclusion in STEM opportunities, and fought to preserve a free and open internet. Previously, Clyburn served 11 years on the South Carolina Public Service Commission. Prior to that, she was the publisher and general manager of the Coastal Times, a family-founded, Charleston-based weekly newspaper focusing on issues affecting the African American community. She is currently the principal of MLC Strategies, LLC. Clyburn is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and holds a BS in banking, finance and economics.
Colin Crowell
Managing Director
The Blue Owl Group
Colin Crowell is the Managing Director of The Blue Owl Group. Colin is an international tech policy consultant and the former Vice President of Global Public Policy, Government, & Philanthropy at Twitter. During his 8+ years at Twitter, Colin built an award-winning philanthropy program and engaged with global policymakers and civil society on a range of Internet policy issues. Prior to joining Twitter, Colin worked as Senior Counselor to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and previously spent more than two decades on Capitol Hill drafting telecommunications and Internet laws on the committee staff of then-U.S. Representative (now Senator) Ed Markey (D-MA). He is a graduate of Boston College with a BA in Political Science and a minor concentration in Computer Science.
Alan Davidson
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator
NTIA
Alan Davidson leads NTIA, the President’s principal advisor on telecommunications and information policy. As NTIA Administrator, Alan oversees a federal agency with more than 500 employees working to close the digital divide, manage federal spectrum resources, and build a better Internet. Alan has spent the last 25 years working at the intersection of Internet technology, public policy, and the law. In his roles in government, public interest groups, and companies, Alan has focused on how society makes choices about the technologies we build. Before joining NTIA, Alan worked at Mozilla Foundation, a global nonprofit that promotes openness, innovation and participation on the Internet. As Mozilla's Vice President of Global Policy, Trust and Security, he led public policy and privacy teams promoting an open Internet and a healthy web. Alan served in the Obama-Biden Administration as the first Director of Digital Economy at the U.S. Department of Commerce. He started Google’s public policy office in Washington, D.C., and as Director of Public Policy, led government relations and policy in North and South America for seven years until 2012. Alan has been a long-time leader in the Internet nonprofit community, serving as Director of New America’s Open Technology Institute where he worked to promote equitable broadband access and adoption. As Associate Director of the Center for Democracy and Technology, Alan was an advocate for civil liberties and human rights online in some of the earliest Internet policy debates. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Yale Law School, and is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.
Kathryn de Wit
Project Director, Broadband Access Initiative
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Kathryn de Wit directs Pew’s broadband access initiative, which works to accelerate efforts to connect millions of Americans to affordable, reliable high-speed internet. In addition to working with policymakers, researchers, and other stakeholders to improve policy outcomes, de Wit’s work also includes addressing research gaps and bringing together stakeholders for data-driven discussions about how to ensure that every American benefits from universal connectivity. Before joining Pew, de Wit was an associate with Booz Allen Hamilton, where she focused on broadband deployment, organizational management, and public affairs. She was also a senior fellow with the Heinz Endowments, leading projects on youth philanthropy and community engagement. De Wit holds Bachelor’s degrees in communications and sociology from Penn State University and a Master’s in public administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
Sally Burchfield Doty
Director
Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi
Sally Burchfield Doty was named by Governor Tate Reeves as the first director of the Office of Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi (BEAM). The office serves as the single point of contact for broadband policy, grant funding, and administration for the State of Mississippi. Sally is an attorney, and most recently served as the Executive Director of the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff. Previously she served three terms in the Mississippi Senate representing Southwest Mississippi, serving as Chair of Judiciary A, and Vice-Chair of Finance.
Evan Feinman
Director, BEAD Program
NTIA
Evan Feinman is the director of the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program, the primary program deploying broadband created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. He has previously served in multiple roles within government, on political campaigns, and in the private sector; most recently directing both the Virginia broadband effort and a state economic development agency. Evan received his Bachelors degree from UVA, his law degree from Washington and Lee, and has been awarded multiple public policy fellowships. Evan lives in Richmond, Va., with his wife Annalisa Feinman, a Richmond public defender, and his two children, Bennett and Betsy.
Tamar E. Finn
Partner
Morgan Lewis
Tamar Finn has 25 years of experience representing clients on telecommunications issues before the FCC, state public utility commissions, courts and Congress. She also advises carriers, private equity firms and venture capital funds with respect to investments in the telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) sectors. Tamar advises clients with respect to telecommunications rulemakings, regulatory compliance, audits and investigations, transactional diligence and regulatory approvals. Her clients include competitive fiber providers, communications infrastructure providers, Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) providers, a Telecommunications Relay Service provider, and private equity firms investing in the TMT sector. Tamar represents communications companies in key proceedings before the FCC regarding universal service, broadband, local competition, intercarrier compensation, and Telecommunications Relay Services. Tamar regularly counsels clients in the day-to-day management of incorporating regulatory compliance into their business. Tamar advises clients on all aspects of universal service, including contributions to the universal service fund (USF) and distributions from federal USF and other broadband funding programs, including E-rate. She assists clients with developing basic regulatory compliance programs, prosecuting appeals before both the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and the FCC, advocating policy changes, and defending companies under audits and investigations for possible violations of laws and regulations. In her transactional practice, Tamar advises a broad range of companies and investors on the regulatory aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and investments. In particular, Tamar advises clients on regulatory diligence issues and FCC, state commission and local authority regulatory approvals.
Daniel Friesen
Managing Member & Innovation Officer
IdeaTek
Daniel Friesen formed IdeaTek Systems Inc. in 1999 with only $250. He initially built the company by working as its sole employee while earning an A.A. in Computer Systems Support and a B.A. in Business Administration with a major in Management Information Systems from Wichita State University. By 2014, Friesen had grown the company to over 65 employees in rural Buhler, Kansas, with a population of only 1,250 residents (Buhler), at which time it focused on rural fiber optic transport services consisting of over 2,200 miles of fiber optic routes and mobile wireless small cells. He led the company as its CEO and President for nearly 15 years and personally managed most of the fiber optic deployments. He also managed the sales and engineering relationships for IdeaTek’s biggest customer, Verizon Wireless. Through IdeaTek’s ever-changing technology business, Friesen has gained unique experiences in rural markets, emerging technology, government policy, telecommunications law, business strategy, and business acquisitions. Friesen was instrumental in the negotiation of some of the first agreements in the nation with municipalities and electric utilities to utilize public right of way for the installation of small cell towers and poles for a Fortune 100 wireless carrier. Friesen also led the engineering and design processes associated with the small cell deployments. Simultaneous to these projects, Friesen garnered significant experience in telecommunications M&A by leading one of his companies through a complex stock purchase agreement with Zayo Group, LLC. Friesen currently holds the position of Chief Innovation Officer at IdeaTek Telcom and IdeaTek Equity Group, IdeaTek’s private investment arm. Friesen continues to be actively involved in his local and regional community: mayor of the City of Buhler, Kansas, serving a third four-year term; he serves on the boards of the Hutchinson/ Reno County Community Foundation, Buhler Community Foundation, Trustees of Buhler MB Church, Quest Center For Entrepreneurs, and FISPA, a national internet service provider consortium (board chair). Friesen also was a recipient of the Hutchinson 20 under 40 award in 2012. He also serves on the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Commission (BDAC) Competitive Infrastructure Working Group and the Kansas Broadband Expansion Taskforce recently formed by the Kansas legislature.
Michael B. Galvin
Chief Administrative Officer
Granite Telecommunications, LLC
Mike Galvin leads Granite’s strategic and tactical legal initiatives, initiating the development of corporate policies and assists with major sales, large vendor relations, employment matters, public relations and marketing and is responsible for the work of in-house and outside counsel. Before Granite, Mike was a partner at a prominent, Boston-based law firm that specialized in business and commercial disputes, and also worked as a state prosecutor. He is active in several bar and civic organizations, including the Federal Communications Bar Association and the YMCA. He also is a multiple time Ironman finisher. He lives near Boston with his wife and three children.
Anna M. Gomez
Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission
The Honorable Commissioner Anna M. Gomez is the first Latina-American to be confirmed to the FCC in over two decades. Gomez is committed to ensuring we have a vibrant, strong, competitive telecommunications and media marketplace that promotes U.S. economic prosperity and security while also meeting the needs of all consumers. Gomez brings over 30 years of public and private sector experience in domestic and international communications law and policy to her position. She previously led U.S. preparations for the International Telecommunication Union World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 for the State Department. Gomez has held numerous leadership roles in the federal government, including Deputy Administrator of the NTIA, Deputy Chief of the FCC’s International Bureau, and as Senior Legal Advisor to then-Chairman William E. Kennard. Born in Orlando, Fla., Gomez spent her childhood in Bogota, Colombia before her family relocated to New Jersey. Gomez earned her B.A. in Pre-Law from Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. from George Washington University Law School.
Carl Guardino
Vice President, Government Affairs & Policy
Tarana
Carl Guardino serves as the VP of Government Affairs & Policy at Tarana. After three decades in CEO and senior officer roles, including 24 years as CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Carl came to Tarana after leading global government affairs for Bloom Energy. Carl also serves as Chair of the CA Transportation Commission, which annually programs and allocates nearly $10 billion in transportation improvements throughout the state. Through his past leadership roles, Carl has led and co-led 19 statewide, regional, and countywide ballot initiatives, winning 18 out of 19 campaigns. Carl graduated from San Jose State University, where he is a Distinguished Alumnus. Outside of work, Carl is a runner, cyclist, and triathlete, having completed 19 marathons and three IRONMANs.
John Haraburda
Product Lead – TNS Call Guardian®
Transaction Network Services Inc.
John Haraburda returned to TNS in 2022. As Product Lead, John oversees TNS Call Guardian®, working closely with the wider Analytics and Advanced Carrier Applications team and colleagues in sales, marketing and operations to support and grow the industry-leading call analytics solution. A technology professional with strategic expertise in network and information system development and delivery, John has worked in sales, product management and business development for nearly 30 years. John has championed fraud prevention and robocall mitigation solutions across the US and the world for over two decades, driving solutions to improve the consumer experience and mitigating risk. Having previously worked in Product Line Management and Solutions Engineering at TNS for over seven years from 2008, John most recently held the position of Principal Sales and Business Development Consultant for iconectiv. He has also worked at Cavalier Telephone and Equant. John has a Master’s degree in International Business from the American University in Washington. D.C., and a Bachelors of Arts from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
John Hendel
Tech Reporter
POLITICO
John Hendel is a POLITICO tech reporter following the telecom debates around Capitol Hill, the White House and agencies like the Federal Communications Commission. He joined POLITICO in 2017 after spending several years at Communications Daily, a trade publication devoted to telecom policy. A native of St. Louis, John earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism from the University of Missouri before moving east.
Bill Hunt
Regulatory and Policy Counsel
Bandwidth Inc.
Bandwidth Inc. is the latest stop in a telecommunications odyssey that started for Bill when he stumbled into a litigation position with MCI in 1994. (He got the job after an hour-long interview that spent about 30 seconds on his then flimsy resume and the rest on his wife’s job managing a horse farm in Middleburg, Va.) Other stops have included an extended run with Level 3 Communications (VP, Public Policy), Dish Network and then TPx Communications (SVP General Counsel and Secretary). Like all good telecom career paths, Bill veered through two law firms (Kelley Drye & Warren; Wilkinson Barker Knauer). While he had a great time, it reinforced that he was an “in-house guy” like Brooks Hatlen in the Shawshank Redemption. Bill was an LBJ Congressional Intern for the U.S. Rep. Martin Frost. He was also a member of the board of directors for the Food Bank of Boulder County. He is a graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri and received his law degree from the University of Western New England. And for some unknown reason, someone thought it was a good idea to let him teach Telecommunications Law and Policy and Regulatory Advocacy as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado School of Law
Sen. Amy Klobuchar
D-Minnesota
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is the first woman elected to represent the State of Minnesota in the United States Senate. As a member of the Joint Economic Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee, Senator Klobuchar has been a leader in working to implement a competitive agenda to ensure businesses have the tools they need to grow and create good jobs in their communities. As co-chair of the Senate Broadband Caucus, Senator Klobuchar has been a leading advocate working to connect every American to high speed internet once and for all. Her provisions to expand high-speed broadband across the country were included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in 2021. Senator Klobuchar also serves as the Chairwoman on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights, where she has worked to reinvigorate America’s antitrust laws and restore competition to American markets. In this capacity, she introduced legislation to give federal enforcers the resources they need to do their jobs, strengthen prohibitions on anticompetitive conduct and mergers, and make additional reforms to improve enforcement. In 2022, her bipartisan bill to create rules of the roads for digital markets became the first piece of antitrust tech legislation to pass the Senate Judiciary Committee since the advent of the Internet, As a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Senator Klobuchar has worked on behalf of Minnesota’s farmers, agriculture workers, and rural communities by fighting to expand access to broadband, support food assistance programs, and provide stability to livestock producers. She has also passed legislation to encourage the use of renewable fuels and invest in data related to farming and agriculture to inform best practices.
Angie Kronenberg
President
INCOMPAS
As President of INCOMPAS, Angie is responsible for managing the association’s policy team and its work before federal, state, and local governments, and she leads the association’s efforts on membership and business development. She joined the association in 2013 as its Chief Advocate & General Counsel and was promoted to President in 2023. Angie has successfully influenced and shaped some of the most complex, high-profile matters in the communications space, and she is an expert on technology and telecommunications policy, including broadband deployment, access, and availability, universal service, net neutrality, merger reviews, competition policy, and administrative law. She also has been integral to the association’s modernization and growth. FierceTelecom named Angie a "Rising Star in Wireline" in 2014 and one of the Top Women in Wireline in 2015 for her advocacy work on behalf of INCOMPAS and its members. Angie is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and has been involved in its leadership as a former Executive Committee and Nominations Committee member. Before joining INCOMPAS, Angie was legal advisor to FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, where she was primarily responsible for the Commissioner’s wireline and broadband agenda, including the Commissioner’s work as chair of three federal-state joint boards. Prior to that, Angie was a special counsel in the Spectrum and Competition Policy Division of the FCC’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. She also practiced telecommunications and media law in the Washington, D.C. office of Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP for more than a decade. Angie earned a Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America, where she also earned a certification from The Institute for Communications Law Studies, and she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Baylor University and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Sen. Ben Ray Lujan
D-New Mexico
Ben Ray Lujan has represented New Mexico in the United States Senate since January 2021. He previously served as U.S. Representative for New Mexico's Third Congressional District and House Assistant Speaker in the 116th Congress. Sen. Lujan sits on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP); the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; the Committee on Indian Affairs; and the Committee on the Budget. Since being elected to Congress in 2008, Sen. Lujan has championed efforts to create good-paying jobs in New Mexico, expand quality healthcare and protect patients with pre-existing conditions, preserve our natural resources and sacred sites, build a clean energy economy, and uplift the middle-class. Before his election to Congress, Senator Lujan served as the Chairman of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission. As a Commissioner, he worked with his colleagues to develop a renewable portfolio standard to increase clean energy production by New Mexico utilities. He also advocated for first responders, working to overhaul the New Mexico Fire Fund so that all distributions from the fund would go to improving fire services in New Mexico. Prior to his service on the Public Regulation Commission, Sen. Lujan was the New Mexico Cultural Affairs Department's director of administrative services and chief financial officer. Sen. Lujan earned his Bachelor's degree from New Mexico Highlands University in Business Administration.
Francisco Maella
CEO
Dobson Fiber
Francisco Maella is CEO of Dobson Fiber, where he is responsible for the execution of Dobson’s growth strategy across its fiber 4,500+ mile fiber network in Oklahoma, North Texas and Western Arkansas serving wholesale, enterprise, business and residential customers. He previously served as CTO at Dobson Fiber. Francisco has 25+ years of experience in the telecommunications industry. Prior to Dobson Fiber, Francisco was the COO of Alpheus Communications, a Texas-based metro and regional fiber operator, from 2005 to 2017. From 2001 to 2005, he was Senior Vice President of Engineering and Operations for El Paso Global Networks, the predecessor to Alpheus Communications. Francisco began his career in engineering at Wiltel, which eventually rolled up into what is today Verizon Business, holding positions of increased responsibilities. Over the past 20 years Francisco has gained extensive experience with private equity and M&A, where he has been a member of the executive management team that has successfully raised growth capital, bought assets and executed multiple exits generating significant returns for private equity sponsors. Francisco has significant regulatory experience, and has been asked to provide expert testimony at the FCC, Texas PUC and Texas State Legislature. Francisco earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Louisiana and an MBA from the University of Houston.
Amanda Martin
Policy Director, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth
NTIA
Amanda Martin currently services as the Policy Director within the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth supporting the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Programs and other Internet for All Programs at NTIA. Amanda served on the policy team that developed the Notices of Funding Opportunity for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Programs. Prior to joining NTIA, Amanda established and ran the Broadband Program for the State of Tennessee. Under her leadership, the state of Tennessee passed legislation to allow electric cooperatives to begin providing retail broadband service and launched the State’s first broadband infrastructure grant program. At the state of Tennessee, Amanda also led efforts related to rural economic and community development with a focus on economically distressed communities. Amanda began her career in public services as a member of the inaugural class of the Governor’s Management Fellows for the State of Tennessee. Amanda is a graduate of Lipscomb University and Pepperdine University School of Law.
Rep. Doris Matsui
D-California
Rep. Doris Matsui has been the Sacramento region’s U.S. Representative since 2005 and is running to represent California’s 7th Congressional District. As a Member of Congress, Doris fights for the needs of the Sacramento region and works to ensure that the voices of her district’s constituents are heard in Congress. She represents the issues that are important to all in the region, including creating jobs, improving economic security for working families, ensuring access to affordable, quality healthcare and education, supporting our seniors, and improving the Sacramento region’s flood protection and transportation infrastructure while combating climate change. Doris was appointed to the important House Energy and Commerce Committee in 2008, where she serves on the Communications and Technology subcommittee. As a senior member of Energy and Commerce and as the Ranking Member of the Communications and Technology subcommittee, as well as a member of the Energy, Climate, and Grid Technology subcommittee, she crafts legislation addressing the critical issues facing our nation today, including policies related to healthcare, energy, technology, consumer protection, food safety, environmental quality and American manufacturing. In addition to her committee work, Doris holds leadership positions in a number of Congressional Caucuses, where she leads on issues important to Sacramento and the nation. She serves as Founder and Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Task Force on Aging and Families, Co-Chair of the Rare Diseases Congressional Caucus, Co-Chair the Nature and Oceans Task Force, and Co-Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition.
Svetlana Matt
Director, Public Policy
DISH
Svetlana Matt is Director of Public Policy at DISH, where she leads the company’s public policy work. Before joining DISH, Svetlana worked as AI Policy Manager at Meta, where she led global AI legislation and policy development efforts. Prior to Meta, Svetlana served as Legislative Director for Congressman Jerry McNerney. In this role, she oversaw the Congressman’s legislative agenda, handled telecommunications and technology policy for the Congressman and his work on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and drove the staff work of the House Wi-Fi Caucus and the House AI Caucus (which the Congressman co-chaired). Her experience also includes serving as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University and various positions at the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the World Bank. She holds a J.D. from the University of California College of Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings), and a B.A. in Economics and International Political Economy from the University of Puget Sound.
Kelly A. McGriff
Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Head of Litigation
Uniti Group
Kelly has been a practicing attorney since 1993. In 2002, Kelly began his representation of a small start-up fiber optic telecommunications company known as Southern Light. Kelly became General Counsel of Southern Light in 2005, which was acquired by Uniti Group in 2017. Upon Southern Light’s acquisition, Kelly became Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, and Head of Litigation of the Uniti Group. A long-time veteran of the telecommunications industry, Kelly has worked with Congress, Administrations of both parties, and industry on a wide range of issues. Through his work with the federal government, both at the Federal Communications Commission, and on Capitol Hill, Kelly has developed an extensive understanding of the legislative and regulatory processes, working in highly fluid situations at all levels of government with industry, trade associations, national leaders, and the media. In the spring of 2017, Kelly was appointed to the Broadband Deployment Advisory Commission (BDAC) at the FCC by Chairman Ajit Pai. The Commission provided advice and recommendations for the FCC on how to accelerate the deployment of high-speed Internet access. The Commission also focused on reducing and/or removing regulatory barriers to infrastructure investment and deployment. In that regard, Kelly served as Chairman of the Commission’s State Model Code Committee, as well as a Member of the Disaster Response and Recovery Committee. On the BDAC, Kelly worked with federal, state, county, and local political and industry leaders from around the nation on issues surrounding broadband deployment. As the Chairman of the State Model Code Committee, Kelly fostered and environment of trust from which a consensus, “bipartisan” model code document was created, agreed to overwhelmingly by all members, both from government and industry. Kelly works extensively with the FCC, states, counties, municipalities, as well as federal, state, and municipal elected officials to secure ROW rights for network infrastructure build across all Uniti entities. He routinely meets with state legislators, County Commissioners, Mayors, City Councilpersons, County and City Attorneys, and ROW Managers to hammer out ROW, Franchise, and Pole Attachment Agreements which provide the necessary permissions for Uniti to build its telecommunications infrastructure. Kelly works closely with state, county, and local leadership to balance their management of the ROW with the needs of Uniti to build out its network so as to serve the needs of the community.
Milo Medin
Former Vice President, Access and Wireless Services
Google
Milo Medin recently left Google after almost 11 years where he was last Vice President of Access Services at Google, where led Google’s spectrum activities, including spectrum sharing and the development and fielding of the CBRS, the Google CBRS SAS, cloud based planning tools, as well as other efforts in wireless services. Milo also led the Google Fiber program during its initial years and through deployments in multiple cities. Before Google, he was co-founder and the Chief Technology Officer of Excite@Home, where he led the development of the company's national infrastructure, and helped deliver the first large scale residential broadband access service in partnership with major cable operators, including the development of the DOCSIS cable modem standard. Prior to @Home, Milo led development of Internet technology and global science program networking as the Branch Chief of the NASA Science Internet Project Office at Ames Research Center. There he worked on Internet routing protocols and managed the primary West Coast Internet interconnect, as well as managing NASA’s Internet network. Milo majored in computer science at UC Berkeley, and has served on the FCC’s TAC, and on the DoD’s Defense Innovation Board, where he co-authored the DIB’s report on 5G risks and opportunities, Principles for Ethical use of AI by the DoD, and other major recommendations. He has served on several National Academy of Sciences panels, testified in front of Congress multiple times, and has held DoD TS/SCI and DOE Q security clearances.
Katy J. Milner
Partner, Communications, Internet, and Media Practice
Hogan Lovells
Katy J. Milner is a Partner in the Communications, Internet, and Media practice at Hogan Lovells US LLP. Katy provides legal and strategic advice to a broad cross-section of telecommunications and technology industry clients on a variety of regulatory, transactional, and compliance matters, representing clients before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Congress, the Executive Branch, and other federal agencies. Katy’s extensive background in telecommunications regulatory work has enabled her to provide clients with valued counsel and practical guidance on matters related to spectrum acquisition and utilization, wireless services regulation, data privacy and cybersecurity, and enforcement, as well as help companies to navigate the rapidly changing broadband and Internet policy landscape. With her strong interest in emerging technologies, Katy has helped clients understand the legal and regulatory implications of use of artificial intelligence (AI) and uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and advance their innovative business plans. Katy received a B.A. from Emory University and a J.D., cum laude, from Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.
Andrew Mincheff
Director, Government Relations
INCOMPAS
Andrew Mincheff joined INCOMPAS in 2020 as government relations director to help represent members before state and local bodies, including legislatures, public utility commissions and municipalities on technology and communications issues. Prior to joining INCOMPAS, Andrew worked as a government affairs associate at G2G Consulting in Washington, D.C., assisting with the firm’s federal lobbying efforts, preparing clients for meetings on Capitol Hill and at federal agencies, and submitting appropriations requests to Congress. He had previously worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) as a legislative correspondent, handling writing and research on policy issues including education, defense, homeland security and healthcare. Following his years as a legislative staffer on the Hill, Andrew worked as a management consultant in Deloitte’s federal practice. His main responsibilities focused on supporting case workers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky on systems integration for their health benefits exchange program, coordinating project plans for allocating grants services within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and leading communications outreach for the New Products and Innovation group at the U.S Postal Service. Andrew graduated with his International Masters of Business Administration (IMBA) from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Emory University.
Chip Pickering
CEO
INCOMPAS
Chip Pickering has been CEO of INCOMPAS since January 2014. During that time, INCOMPAS has achieved significant growth with leading internet, backbone, business broadband, wireless, and international companies. Under his leadership, INCOMPAS has led numerous public policy campaigns promoting competition through an open internet and in the business broadband market. Pickering was a six-term Congressman representing Mississippi’s Third District. During his time in the House, he served on the Energy & Commerce Committee, where he was vice chairman from 2002 to 2006 and a member of the Telecommunications Subcommittee. He also was co-chairman and founder of the Congressional Wireless Caucus and an assistant minority whip of the House. Previously, Chip worked for Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and served as a staff member on the Senate Commerce Committee, where he helped shape the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Because of his role in drafting the 1996 Act, he became well known as a Congressional leader on telecommunications issues. While in Congress, Chip served as chair of the subcommittee overseeing the transition to the commercial internet, the establishment of domain names, registries, and internet governance. He also successfully led a bipartisan legislative effort to codify net neutrality principles through the House in 2006. Prior to joining INCOMPAS, Chip was a partner with Capitol Resources LLC, a public affairs and government relations firm, where he represented an array of telecom clients, including wireless, cable and competitive broadband providers, as well as non-profits and companies specializing in education, energy, technology and defense.
Jade Piros de Carvalho
Director
Kansas Office of Broadband Development
Jade Piros de Carvalho was appointed in June 2022 as director of the Kansas Office of Broadband Development, where she oversees efforts to connect all Kansans with high-speed broadband. Prior to her appointment, Piros de Carvalho worked in rural broadband expansion policy advocacy for a fiber CLEC and served three terms as Mayor of the city of Hutchinson, Kansas. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a Master’s degree in public administration.
Michael Pryor
Counsel, Cloud Communications Alliance
Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
Michael Pryor represents organizations that provide telecommunications services and those that rely on telecommunications technology for business operations. Drawing on more than two decades of work in the telecommunications industry, he helps clients navigate complex federal and state regulatory proceedings, litigation and transactions. Extremely knowledgeable about the nuances and intricacies of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), Michael is sought out for his counsel on robocalling and telemarketing issues. He is committed to helping his clients achieve optimal outcomes working to advance their position in complex rulemakings and regulatory adjudications. Michael served as the deputy chief of the policy division in the Federal Communication Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau from 1996 to 1999. While there, he drafted rules implementing the local competition provisions of the 1996 Telecommunications Act and spearheaded reviews of major proceedings including WorldCom’s merger with MCI. Following law school, Michael clerked for Judge Harold Greene who oversaw the breakup of AT&T and its restrictions on Bell Companies’ business practices.
Paroma Sanyal
Principal and Practice Co-Leader: Telecommunications, Media & Entertainment
The Brattle Group Inc.
Dr. Sanyal is a telecommunications industry expert, specializing in spectrum policy, auctions, broadband, competition, regulation, consumer protection, and intellectual property matters. Dr. Sanyal frequently advises clients on FCC regulatory issues in fixed and mobile broadband, spectrum auctions, spectrum value, and spectrum availability. She has consulted on numerous major FCC spectrum and subsidy auctions and has helped clients navigate complex regulatory issues. She also regularly advises clients on telecom-related competition analyses and consults on false advertising cases and various telecom-related litigation matters. In addition to regulatory, policy, and valuation analyses, Dr. Sanyal’s engagements have also focused on a range of issues within the intellectual property, FRAND, privacy regulation, data breach cases, and false advertising. Prior to joining Brattle, she was the Chief Economist of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Prior to her FCC stint, Dr. Sanyal was an Assistant Professor at Brandeis University, where she held a joint position in the economics department and at the International Business School. While at the FCC, Dr. Sanyal led the wireless agenda on economic analysis and policy and worked extensively on the Wireless Competition Report; several high-profile telecom mergers; Universal Service Fund (USF)-related issues, such as the Mobility Fund; and the Fixed and Mobile Measuring Broadband America agenda.
Ariane Schaffer
Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager
Google Fiber
Ariane Schaffer serves as Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager for Google Fiber and has worked for the company since 2018. In this role, she focuses on broadband public policy, state and federal government relations, digital equity efforts, partnerships and business expansion. Ariane is currently serving a three year term as board member for the Fiber Broadband Association. Prior to joining Google Fiber, Ariane was Executive Briefer to the Governor of New York. A New Orleans native, Ariane holds a bachelor's degree from American University’s School of Public Affairs in Washington, DC and currently lives in New York City.
Sana Sheikh
Chief People Officer
Granite Telecommunications, LLC
Sana Sheikh serves as Granite’s Chief People Officer and is a member of Granite’s Steering Committee, reporting directly to Granite CEO and founder Robert T. Hale. She drives transformation strategy to strengthen and scale Granite’s offering of advanced communications and technology solutions for business and government customers throughout North America, including over two-thirds of Fortune 100 companies. In this role, she leads strategic cross-functional projects and oversees several areas of the company, including automation, marketing, regulatory matters, government relations and carrier partnerships. Sana has represented Granite on competitive policy issues at the FCC and served on panels for the Federal Communications Bar Association, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissions and INCOMPAS.
Christopher L. Shipley
Executive Director of Public Policy
INCOMPAS
Chris Shipley was named Executive Director of Public Policy in 2023, and will lead the association’s efforts to expand its advocacy on behalf of members. He joined INCOMPAS in 2015, serving as attorney and policy advisor responsible for representing INCOMPAS on wireless, universal service, disabilities access, media, and competition issues. Before joining INCOMPAS, Chris was an associate with LMI Advisors, advising clients in the satellite and wireless industries on regulatory issues related to experimental licensing and international market access. Earlier in his career, Chris completed a legal internship with Harris Corporation, a telecommunications equipment manufacturer, and served as the legal fellow for Rep. Anna Eshoo, the Ranking Member of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. Chris graduated from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America with a Juris Doctor in 2013 and also earned a certification from the Institute for Communications Law Studies. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in 2000, Chris served for three administrations as a policy analyst and grant administrator at the Arizona Governor’s Office.
Nathan Simington
Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission
Nathan Simington was nominated to serve as a Commissioner of the FCC by President Donald J. Trump. He was confirmed by the United States Senate in 2020. Simington brings both private and public-sector experience to the Commission. Previously, he served as Senior Advisor at the NTIA. In this role, he worked on many aspects of telecommunications policy, including spectrum allocation and planning, broadband access, and the U.S. Government’s role in the internet. Prior to joining the Commission, he was senior counsel to Brightstar Corp., an international mobile device services company. In this capacity, he led and negotiated telecommunications equipment and services transactions with leading providers in over 20 countries. Prior to joining Brightstar, he worked as an attorney in private practice. Simington is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. He also holds degrees from the University of Rochester and Lawrence University. Simington grew up in Saskatchewan, Canada. He became a United States citizen and now lives in McLean, Va., with his wife and three children.
Geoffrey Starks
Commissioner
Federal Communications Commission
Commissioner Geoffrey Starks believes that communications technology has the potential to be one of the most powerful forces on Earth for promoting equality and opportunity. To unlock that potential, however, all Americans must have access. From combatting internet inequality to advocating for diversity in employment, entrepreneurship, and media ownership, Commissioner Starks fights for policies designed to ensure that modern communications technology empowers every American. As a native Kansan, he understands the communications needs of rural America. He has consistently advocated for broadband deployment that helps rural communities tap into economic and educational opportunities that may not be close to home, which both encourages young people to stay and attracts new residents and employers. Bringing a wealth of enforcement experience to the Commission, Starks advocates for consumer protection and accountability, particularly in managing the USF. Before he was appointed Commissioner, Starks helped lead the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, handling a wide variety of complex investigations. At the Department of Justice, he served as a senior advisor to the Deputy Attorney General on a variety of domestic and international law enforcement matters and received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service—the highest honor award a DOJ employee can receive. Before he entered federal public service, Commissioner Starks practiced law at Williams & Connolly, clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit, served as a legislative staffer in the Illinois State Senate, and worked as a financial analyst. Commissioner Starks graduated from Harvard College with high honors and Yale Law School. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Lauren, and their two children.
Dave Stehlin
CEO
Telecommunications Industry Association
Dave Stehlin joined TIA in September 2019. He brings more than 30 years of experience leading the development and implementation of key business and technology strategies in the telecommunications industry. Most recently, he was the General Manager of Spirent Communications’ (SPT: L) Lifecycle Service Assurance business segment focusing on creating and providing innovative testing and analysis solutions for advanced telecommunications systems and network around the globe. Dave has also been instrumental in the leadership of multiple public and private networking companies including CEO of MRV Communications (MRVC) and CEO of Ceterus Networks as well as President of Overture Networks. He has a keen understanding of how to navigate the business, technology and government factors that affect our industry. Prior to starting his career in the ICT industry, Dave was a Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. He earned a B.S. degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and an M.B.A. from National University in San Diego, Calif.
Lindsay Stern
Attorney and Policy Manager
INCOMPAS
Lindsay Stern is an attorney and policy manager at INCOMPAS. Prior to joining INCOMPAS, Lindsay was a policy fellow at Public Knowledge, where she focused on issues of broadband deployment, affordability and net neutrality, and advocated for consumers at the FCC, FTC and Congress. During law school, Lindsay was a legal intern at the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in the office of Sen. Richard Durbin, as well as at the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project and Street Law, Inc. Lindsay graduated with Honors from The George Washington University Law School, where she was a member and published author of the Federal Circuit Bar Journal. Lindsay graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Franklin & Marshall College, where she received her B.A. in Government. She also spent a semester studying at the University of Edinburgh. Lindsay is a member of the New York State and Washington D.C. Bars.
Rep. Tim Walberg
R-Michigan
Rep. Tim Walberg is currently serving his eighth term in Congress as the representative of southern Michigan, making him the Dean of the Michigan House delegation. The diverse constituency of Michigan’s 5th District encompasses Branch, Cass, Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Monroe, and St. Joseph Counties, along with portions of Berrien, Calhoun, and Kalamazoo Counties. Based on his record of legislative accomplishment, Rep. Walberg was ranked by the Center for Effective Lawmaking, a non-partisan collaboration between Vanderbilt University and University of Virginia, as the most effective member of Michigan's congressional delegation in the 115th Congress. In the 118th Congress, Rep. Walberg serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Education and the Workforce Committee. Rep. Walberg also served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 1983 to 1999, and is proud to bring his reputation as a principled legislator, fiscal reformer, and defender of traditional values to Washington.
Joseph Wender
Capital Projects Fund Director
U.S. Treasury Department
Joseph Wender currently serves as Director of the Capital Projects Fund, overseeing the $10 billion program at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and helping to ensure that all communities have access to high-quality modern infrastructure, including affordable, reliable high-speed internet. He previously served for nearly 13 years on Capitol Hill, most recently as Senator Ed Markey’s Senior Policy Advisor, where he led a team covering a wide range of issues including telecommunications and infrastructure. Wender also worked as then-Representative Markey’s Legislative Director. Prior to working for Markey, Wender served as Counsel for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He received his BA from Wesleyan University and graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School.
Scott D. Woods, Esq.
President, Public-Private Partnerships
Ready.net, Inc.
Scott D. Woods is the President, Public-Private Partnerships (formerly the Vice President for Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships) for Ready.net, Inc. Scott facilitates and develops key public-private partnerships formed via the Broadband.money digital community. He also focuses on providing a platform for local communities and broadband representatives to express their needs for broadband access and digital equity investments, as well as developing industry partnerships, and fostering alliances with key public and private stakeholders across the country to advance and support local, community-based broadband education and advocacy initiatives. In addition to his executive duties, Scott currently hosts the Ready.net podcast, Ready or Not? with Scott D. Woods, where he focuses on and shares his deep knowledge of the broadband industry while giving local ISPs and communities a voice and a platform. He also hosts a monthly “Office Hours” broadcast, providing information and advice on developments and impacts for new broadband projects exclusively on the Broadband.money digital community. Prior to Ready, Scott served as the former inaugural Director of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives in NTIA’s Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OIGC). While at NTIA, he served as the principal liaison between the OIGC program office and key strategic partners and external stakeholder groups, including representatives from state and local governments, telecommunications companies, for-profit and non-profit corporations, and colleges/universities. Scott is a broadband funding, implementation and stakeholder engagement expert and served as a key member of the OIGC leadership team responsible for the implementation and launch of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives and the historic $65 billion broadband funding program authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA). Scott’s expertise and devotion to increasing broadband access and digital inclusion has helped transform the lives of many communities throughout the U.S. through programs such as the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), BroadbandUSA Technical Assistance Program, BroadbandUSA Community Education Workshops; HBCU College Partnership Program; the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program; and his influence among national, state and corporate decision makers, and his on-the-ground work building community-based broadband coalitions. Scott has long advocated for better broadband maps, data collection and utilization and in his various roles at NTIA, has used broadband data, mapping, and visualizations to make better broadband funding and programmatic decisions. Scott received his B.A. in Urban Studies from Morehouse College; M.A. in Public Policy from American University; and J.D. from Howard University School of Law.