Session Speakers: WISPAPALOOZA 2022

Profile Picture	Full Name	Company	Job Title	Speaking At	Attendee Bio
(not set)	Jason Guzzo	Hudson Valley Wireless	General Manager	Developing Public Private Partnerships With States and Local Governments The Importance of State Advocacy In BEAD Funding Decisions	Jason Guzzo is General Manager of Hudson Valley Wireless (HVW), a Competitive Local Exchange Company (CLEC) covering over 3,500sq miles in Upstate, NY. Before joining HVW, Jason was General Manager of Hudson Valley Communications, where he designed and installed Structured Cabling Solutions, IP Telephony, Security, and Computer Networks for business and enterprise. Hudson Valley Wireless primarily uses LTE and proprietary wireless technology with a vision of making Broadband Internet Access available to homes and businesses regardless of geography. Jason’s primary focus is on Operations and Business Development. These roles include developing Business Plans, Grant Writing, assisting with the oversight/compliance of State, Local and Federal Regulations, and coordinating with various agencies. Throughout his 20+ years in the industry, Jason has formed several Public-Private Partnerships (P3) with county governments, awarded State Grants, and served on Broadband Availability and Adoption Committees. He is currently an active member of several industry associations, including WISPA, where he serves on the Board of Directors, Rural Broadband Expansion, Northeast Regional Coordinator, and New York State Coordinator.
	Jessica Gyllstrom	Telecommunications Law Professionals	Member	Rules That All WISPs Should Know	Jessica’s practice areas include a broad range of regulatory, policy and transactional telecommunications and media matters. Jessica regularly represents Internet service providers, VoIP providers, mobile wireless carriers broadcasters and tower companies before the Federal Communications Commission and other federal and state agencies. Jessica has particular experience advising wireless service providers on compliance, licensing and policy matters, spectrum acquisition and funding opportunities, and her transactional work largely involves the drafting and negotiation of complex submarine and terrestrial fiber optic cable system arrangements, both within the United States and internationally. Jessica has been recognized by several legal ranking organizations, including Chambers and Partners, Super Lawyers, The Legal 500, and was also recently recognized by the Wireless Infrastructure Association as a “Noteworthy Woman in Wireless Infrastructure.” She is an active member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
	Carolyn Haas	Wisper	Talent & Acquisition Coordinator	All Things Employee - Your Most Important Resource Coaching Your Teams: Getting Back to the Facts! Updated Training for Customer Service Representatives	(not set)
(not set)	William Hadala	MetaVerse Capital, LLC	CSO	All Things Private Equity	(not set)
	K.C. Halm	Davis, Wright, Tremaine	Communications & Technology Partner	Rules That All WISPs Should Know Issues In Selling And Buying A WISP	K.C. Halm is a communications and technology partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, and co-chair of the firm’s national multi-disciplinary AI practice group. Broadband ISPs, wireless providers, and cable operators rely on K.C. for experienced counsel on a wide range of broadband policy and competition matters, broadband funding opportunities, wireless licensing and spectrum acquisition issues, privacy and special access (business data services) regulations, and state attorney general and PSC investigations. In addition, K.C. advises clients on privacy and data/network security issues under federal and state law, with a recent focus on issues arising under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), the telephone and cable privacy sections of the Telecommunications Act (CPNI), and mobile privacy and location-based services. K.C. also co-chairs Davis Wright Tremaine LLP’s AI Team, a national cross-disciplinary team of lawyers and professionals providing strategic guidance to clients deploying AI/ML-enabled applications and services. He advises the firm’s AI clients on issues arising in the use of AI and machine learning applications under existing and emerging legal frameworks.
(not set)	Matt Hamlin	EdgeTeam Technology	VP of Sales	Which Way to Build - Up or Down?	(not set)
	Brandon Hardy	Cobalt Ridge	Owner	Starting A WISP - What You Should Know What Does it Take to be a WISP Owner?	I am co-owner and co-founder of Cobalt Ridge in Wichita Falls, TX. I started this company from the ground up with my prior knowledge in enterprise IT, although I had never worked in the carrier side of things before. My business partner and I self-funded the company and grew the snowball slowly. After nearly 7 years of work, we have surpassed 800 customers and are poised to double in size over the next year as we deploy cutting-edge technologies and aggressive strategies to expand our service footprint.
	Barak Harlan	CHR Solutions	Sr Systems Engineer	GIS Mapping Isn't Just for Equipment Loading The ABCs of Fiber Deployment	Barak joined CHR Solutions in 1998 as an intern and an engineer in Planning and Design. To broaden his experience, he joined Cap Rock Telephone Cooperative, Inc. as the Lead Engineer and Special Project Coordinator. After 5 years at Cap Rock Telephone Cooperative, he rejoined CHR Solutions in 2008 and has been involved in equipment engineering, planning and design, and sales engineering. Barak has a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering from Texas Tech University.
	Todd Harpest	MetaLink Technologies	External Affairs & Regulatory Director	Playing Offense and Defense: The $42.45 Billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Basics About Filing Form 477 And The New Broadband Data Collection Submission Understanding the Subsidy Landscape: How the Government is Affecting Your Business	Todd Harpest is one of the founders of MetaLINK Technologies, Inc. (“MetaLINK”) and today serves in the capacity of External Affairs & Regulatory Director. MetaLINK is one of the largest fixed wireless service providers in the Midwest. He has served with MetaLINK in numerous capacities over the last 26 years and has over 36 years of IT and business management experience. Todd currently serves on the Mapping and Analyzing Connectivity on Agricultural Lands Working Group of FCC Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force. Additionally, Todd currently serves WISPA as the Board of Director Chairperson, and Government Affairs, Policy, and State Coordinator Member. Todd received his MBA degree from the University of Dayton and BSAS from Miami University.
	George Hellmuth	Tarana	Head of Sales	The Path to Gigabit - At Scale!	George is the Head of Sales for Tarana in North America. He previously held a number of sales leadership positions at Nokia including leading U.S. Major Wireline accounts and VP of IP and Optical Sales into ATT. During his 17 years at Nokia, he was instrumental in helping Nokia grow into an industry leader in the Wireless backhaul space. He has an MS in Engineering from Virginia Tech and a BS in Electrical Engineering from George Mason University.
(not set)	Marc Hemann	Cambium Networks	Training Manager	Universal Access Architecture with Adaptive Cloud Networking	(not set)
(not set)	Daran Hermans	Cambium Networks	Director, Product Line Management	MDU/MTU Cost Analysis - To Rewire or To NOT Rewire	(not set)
(not set)	Wayne Bunce Heyl	Jonard Tools	Director of Business Development	Dealing With Interference - Session Sponsored by Wireless Coverage	(not set)
(not set)	Kent Higgins	HCC Utility Construction	Manager	Which Way to Build - Up or Down?	(not set)
	Skip Hirvela	Calix	Vice President Regional Sales Partners	Revenue Now, Fiber Later	(not set)
	John Hoadley	Mavenir	Vice President of Sales Engineering and Product Architecture – North America	CBRS and Other Private Network Strategies	John Hoadley has been in the wireless industry for over 25 years and has worked in technology, product management and sales executive roles at Nortel Networks, Taqua, Casa Systems and Mavenir. As Nortel’s Wireless CTO, John managed the advanced wireless research team that drove early LTE innovations. John also founded the small cell backhaul startup Relay IQ that was acquired by Taqua. Subsequently, he ran wireless and wireline product management at Taqua. John graduated from the University of British Columbia with a bachelors degree in electrical engineering and received an MBA from the University of Western Ontario. John is the North American Vice President of Sales Engineering and Product Architecture at Mavenir.
	Kristian Hoffmann	Cal.net	Principal Engineer	GIS Mapping Isn't Just for Equipment Loading Mixing -48v, 48v, 24, In One System and How to Ground it All	Kristian Hoffmann began his career at a dial-up ISP in 1997 that adapted into a WISP, Fire2Wire, in 2000. The following decade at Fire2Wire included OSS, kernel, and other software development, along with network and RF design, planning, and implementation. In 2011, he moved from his role as CTO to President, managing day to day operations, business process development and automation, and ultimately leading the company to the acquisition by Cal.net in 2019. Kristian now serves as CTO for Cal.net in Central California, continuing his 24 years in the ISP/WISP industry, graciously supported by his wife Virginia and two children.
	Jerry Hogan	Solara Technical	Director of Marketing & Engineering	Grounding - Stop Losing Equipment	Jerry, currently the Director of Engineering and Marketing at Solara Technical Sales, has a BSEE from the University of Colorado and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His early career in R&D and technical marketing in power electronics and power systems was at the largest of companies: AT&T Bell Labs, Texas Instruments, Siemens and Rockwell. His later career included executive management positions at several smaller technical companies. He’s been directly involved with grounding related issues for over 40 years.
	Chuck Hogg	All Points Broadband	SVP		(not set)
(not set)	Amie Hsu	Vilo	COO	Earning Additional Revenue from Customers	(not set)
	Abbi Hubler	TekWav	COO	All Things Employee - Your Most Important Resource Culture vs Company Values: What Do I Need? Service Installs: Let's Make Them More Efficient	Abbi Hubler is a seasoned professional known for her expertise in operations, business strategy, and leadership across various industries, including telecommunications and technology. Her career has been marked by a relentless commitment to driving productivity and efficiency through innovative processes and software solutions, coupled with a knack for effective team building and problem-solving. With a strong background in roles spanning customer success, technical support management, marketing, and team leadership in the WISP industry, Abbi has excelled in people management, talent acquisition, and pioneering training programs for enhanced onboarding and team performance. Her passion for leadership and professional growth remains her focus. Now, as the CEO and founder of Catalyzer, Abbi Hubler continues to leverage her extensive experience to empower organizations, providing strategic insights and operational excellence to catalyze sustainable growth.
	Martha Huizenga	DC Access LLC	COO and Co-Owner	WISP Marketing/PR	(not set)
(not set)	David Island	Cambium Networks	Regional Sales Director		(not set)
(not set)	Michael Jamgochian	Nokia	Solution Manager	Practical Capacity and Distance for Licensed Backhaul	NA
	David Jermakian	Dynamic Environmental Associates	President	How To Fund And Build Your Fixed Wireless Network To Comply With Environmental, RF, and Other Infrastructure Siting Rules	I am the President of Dynamic Environmental Associates (DEA), a nationally recognized Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Consulting firm and has been working with the wireless industry since 1990’s. I have been working in this space since the 1990’s on tower and wireless environmental issues, including compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as well as due diligence assessments. I’ve served as co-chair for the WIA Environmental Consultants Working Group and have been called upon on numerous occasions by companies, associations and the FCC to provide expert advice. Prior to founding DEA in 1993, I managed the environmental division of Storch Engineers, a regional engineering and consulting firm involved in a variety of projects ranging from NEPA compliance for federally funded design and construction projects to the investigation and remediation of Superfund sites.
	Corey Johnson	JBRI Holdings	Managing Partner	Exit Strategies Competition - Fiber, Satellite, Cable, DSL, 5G	• Corey Johnson: Co-Founder & Managing Partner: Chief Investment Officer • Corey Johnson is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of JBRI and is a board member of all JBRI portfolio companies. • Together with Gabrielle Johnson, Garrick Johnson and Darryl Johnson, he launched JBRI Holdings in 2017 and establish the firms’ investment strategy, which focuses on driving value creation through its Core ++ investment and operating model. • Since its founding JBRI has invested more than $18m of capital over two investment partnerships. Mr. Johnson has helped oversee each of the firm’s investments (including sourced and allocated co-investment). • Previously, Mr. Johnson was a Managing Director at Cordiant Capital responsible for oversight of global telecom infrastructure investments. He previously worked at Comverse, a telecommunication technology company where he executed on the global turnaround & restructuring prior to selling the business for $600m. • He started his real estate investing career at American Tower Corporation, where he supported the North American mobile tower acquisition efforts through a period of market consolidation, completing $12b of tower transactions, including the industries first ‘Aaa’ debt securitization.
	Michael Kellim	Wisp Broker	CEO	Best Practices for Marketing Getting the Most Out of Your Sales Team	CEO of Wispbroker.com & Leverage Social
	Robert Kidd	Federated Wireless	(not set)	WiFi 6e for Fixed Wireless Access Deep Dive	(not set)
	Chris Kilbourn	Wi-Fiber	COO & CMO	WISP Marketing/PR	Chris is the COO and CMO at Wi-Fiber, a WISP that partners with other WISPS to help them grow and get some sleep. He has 15 years of experience as a marketer and entrepreneur with three exits.
(not set)	Isaac Kim	Ciena	Senior Systems Engineer	Fiber for the Longhaul Transport to Peering: An Efficient Way to Improve Network Performance	(not set)
(not set)	William King Jr	Media King Communications	VP Business Development	Marketing to the Government	(not set)
	Tomas Kirnak	NetCore j.s.a. (Unimus)	CEO	Ransomware - Proofing Your ISP Resiliency and Reliability in WISP networks	A former IT specialist with heavy focus on networking, Linux, virtualization & clustered and distributed systems. While I love designing and building IT infrastructure, I am especially passionate about in-depth monitoring, automation, DevOps and NetOps. I have now moved to a management role, and serve as the Team Lead & CEO of NetCore j.s.a. In 2016 I started writing Unimus, with the goal to create a simple, user friendly, but powerful Network Automation and Network Config Management solution. Unimus now has thousands of deployments world-wide, and these days my role has transitioned to the Team Lead and CEO of NetCore j.s.a. - the company behind Unimus. Our mission has since expanded to bring other new tools which are missing in the Networking industry to the market. We want to create software that will make life easier for net-admins around the world.
	Robert Klein	Pomegran Inc.	VP, Fibre Business Strategy	All Things Private Equity	Rob Klein is Vice President, Fibre Business Strategy at PomeGran Inc. (www.pomegran.io) whose mission is to become the dominant fibre-centric broadband service provider serving under-served residential, enterprise and government customers in rural and under-served communities across Eastern Canada and the Northeast United States. PomeGran wants to ensure that No One is Left Behind, a mantra that reflects our core values of social responsibility. Rob’s team is responsible for acquisition and commercializing of fibre assets and heads up the Company’s M&A team. Prior to joining PomeGran, Rob held various senior executive positions in Canadian/U.S. private and public telecommunications and technology companies and led the acquisition of 30+ companies. Rob was part of the executive team that helped Globalive launch Wind Mobile (Freedom Mobile) in 2008, and helped co-found the Application Service Provider (precursor to SaaS and Cloud computing) industry in the late 1990’s. In addition, Rob has authored two case studies for the Blockchain Research Institute.
	Michael Kletchko	Adtran	VP, RSP West Sales	Plug and Play Cookie Cutter Concepts Simplify FTTH Deployments	(not set)
	Paul Kmit	Clearfield, Inc.	Technology Platform Manager	Plug and Play Cookie Cutter Concepts Simplify FTTH Deployments	(not set)
	Jeff Kohler	Rise Broadband	Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer	Issues In Selling And Buying A WISP	Jeff has worked in the wireless industry for over 25 years, and he is responsible for all mergers and acquisitions, governmental affairs, spectrum development and media and trade relations for the largest privately-held fixed wireless broadband service provider in the United States serving customers in sixteen states. He serves on the board of directors for the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) and is active in advocacy efforts with both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the U.S. Congress. Rise is a recipient of the FierceWireless Service Provider of the Year award and in 2021 was named Best Rural ISP Overall by CNET.
	Robert Kressin	KS Technologies, LLC	President	Lorawan - Lightning Session	Bob Kressin founded KS Technologies in 2003 and currently serves as its President and CEO. His educational background includes a Bachelor's Degree and a Masters of Science Degree, both in Electrical Engineering. For over twelve years, Bob was a Hardware Design Engineer at Hewlett-Packard / Agilent Technologies, allowing him to focus on integrated circuits and system-level test and measurement instrument creation as a Hardware Design Engineer. While at Agilent, Bob was granted two patents in the field of Electrical Engineering. He is very passionate and excited about sensing remote phenomena and making sense out of that data so people can better care for others and their businesses. Today, Bob leads KST, whose primary focus is end-to-end sensing to Cloud solutions.
(not set)	Christian Kurasek	(not set)	(not set)	Helium, Pollen and Other Ways to Monetize Your Existing Broadcast Sites	(not set)
	Kelley Lace	Total Highspeed LLC	Sales Manager	Getting the Most Out of Your Sales Team What Does it Mean to be a Manager? Connecting With Employees Selling to Businesses	In 2005, Travis Allen founded TA Highspeed, a small company consisting of one, to find a way to provide an Internet solution for his parents and their neighbors in Ozark, Missouri. Over the years, Travis’ determination has led him to expand his horizons to include not just the neighborhood in Ozark, but throughout the Southwest Ozark region of Missouri and Northern Arkansas. The name of the company changed over the years as well with expansion and Travis’ promise to bring Internet solutions to as many people as he could in the rural areas of our state. TA Highspeed morphed into Total Highspeed Internet Solutions in 2011 and today the company of one has grown to over 70 employees. Total Highspeed Internet Solutions offers wireless Internet through towers, silos, telephone poles and barns around the Ozarks as well as the new Fiber-To-The-Home projects you will see being constructed in small communities all over the Ozarks. Travis’ commitment to providing the same or better Internet service to rural homes as you can get in the big cities allows those of us living in the Ozarks to work from home, home school, run a business and maintain a job during these pandemic times. With always looking for ways to accomplish long term solutions to the ongoing and increasing need for good Internet and speed, Travis, his family and the Total Highspeed family, hope to provide their neighbors with access to the future and the world.
	Matt Larsen	Vistabeam	(not set)	Developing Public Private Partnerships With States and Local Governments WISP Financing Broad Policy Changes, Their Effects On Your Business, And Practical Strategies To Reduce Or Eliminate Their Debilitating Effects	Matt Larsen started deploying wireless broadband in 1999 and is experienced in the design of data networks, NOC operations, wireless deployments, voice over IP implementation, business development and overall management of ISP operations. In 1995, Larsen was part of the volunteer group that launched FortNet, the first ISP in Fort Collins, Colorado. After moving to Scottsbluff, Nebraska in 1997, he started Scottsbluff Networx, an ISP that provided competitive dialup Internet access in Western Nebraska and was the first non-ILEC to offer DSL service in Nebraska. Frustrated with the incumbent bureaucracy, Matt turned to wireless as an alternate way to deliver broadband, bypassing the phone companies completely. In November 2000, Larsen sold Scottsbluff Networx to Airwave Wireless, a company that held LMDS and cellular licenses for the Scottsbluff area. From November 2000 through October 2003, Larsen worked on ISP operations for Airwave, and concentrated on business development and the deployment of unlicensed wireless broadband systems. In October 2003, Larsen left Airwave to pursue opportunities in wireless broadband access and established Vistabeam. Vistabeam has deployed wireless broadband systems covering approximately 40,000 square miles across Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota and Nebraska.
(not set)	James Lee	Federated Wireless	(not set)	How Important are PALs to my CBRS Deployment?	(not set)
(not set)	Rex Lee	Cyber Talk TV	(not set)	Ransomware - Proofing Your ISP	(not set)
	Casey Lide	Keller and Heckman	Partner	Developing Public Private Partnerships With States and Local Governments	Casey Lide is a Partner in Keller & Heckman’s Washington, D.C. office. He advises and represents public- and private-sector clients on a wide range of communications-related matters, including strategy development, contract negotiations (network development agreements, fiber optic IRUs and leases, franchises, attachment agreements, ISP service agreements, and others), public-private partnerships, federal and state regulatory compliance, and broadband funding.
	Jeff Little	Above Wireless LLC	Chief Executive Officer		I have been in the industry since I was a young kid. I am a second-generation tower climber. I have been working in the industry since 2007 right after high school and have been going since. I have worked for a few companies over the years before starting Above Wireless in 2017. I am active in NATE (North American Tower Erectors) and WISPA. I helped build and teach the tower tech program at many colleges. I hope to contribute more over the years to both NATE and WISPA.
	Scot Loach	Preseem	CTO & Co-Founder	Troubleshooting Fiber	As Chief Technology Officer and co-founder, Scot is responsible for the technology direction of Preseem, and managing the intellectual property of the company. Scot has been working in the networking equipment industry for over 20 years. Before Preseem, Scot was a Senior Architect at Sandvine, where he contributed to many innovations across all product lines, and met Dan and Gerrit. Scot has filed several patents and has a degree in Computer Science from the University of Waterloo.
	Georgette Lopez-Aguado	Sonar Software	Client Experience Manager	WISP Management Systems From Lead to Installed: The Customer Journey Service Installs: Let's Make Them More Efficient	Georgette Lopez-Aguado is a native of Fort Worth, TX. She began working in the ISP/OSS arena in 2016 and joined Sonar Software in 2017. In her current role as the Sr. Director, Strategic Accounts, Georgette and her team are laser focused on helping customers harness the power of Sonar through partnerships. Connecting the dots is her superpower.
	Josh Luthman	Imagine Networks	President/Owner	Playing Offense and Defense: The $42.45 Billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Basics About Filing Form 477 And The New Broadband Data Collection Submission	Josh Luthman began working at Imagine Networks in 2006 and became President and sole owner in 2015. Imagine Networks is a small rural WISP located in south west Ohio. Fiber deployments began in 2019 and are now in the process of expanding out to the rural market. Josh Luthman is a current member of WISPA’s Board of Directors and the Chairman of WISPA’s Policy Committee.
	Jeff Lytle	Sandy Beaches Software	President and Founder	How to Reduce Your Universal Service Fee Payments for Your VoIP Voice Services	Jeff Lytle has over 30 years of software development experience specifically related to telecommunications billing. As Sandy Beaches' founder and president, he's committed to the company's mission to help competitive communications companies grow and remain profitable by consistently delivering accurate bills and the software tools needed for superior customer service. Under his direction SBS made the INC. 500 list in 2003, the OKC Metro 50 Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies in 2002 and 2003. He was also a finalist for “Oklahoma’s Most Admired CEO’s” in 2010. Jeff proudly served in the USAF and holds a B.B.A. in Business from the University of Central Oklahoma.
	Cliff Mandell	ICT - Innovative Circuit Technology	Business Development Manager	Mixing -48v, 48v, 24, In One System and How to Ground it All	Cliff Mandell, Business Development Manager with ICT, is very experienced in intelligent DC power plant solutions. In his six-plus years working with ICT, he has supported many WISPs in determining their DC power requirements for their sites, providing DC power plant recommendations to better support their business operations and further enhance their network , and providing follow-up training to help WISPs implement the DC power solution into their networks.
	Carol Mattey	Mattey Consulting LLC	Principal	Playing Offense and Defense: The $42.45 Billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program	Carol Mattey is the Principal of Mattey Consulting LLC, based in the Washington, DC metro area. Ms. Mattey is one of the nation's leading experts on the FCC’s universal service programs, drawing on more than a decade of experience as Deputy Chief of the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau overseeing the Universal Service Fund. Among other accomplishments, between 2010-2016, she led efforts to modernize the FCC’s universal service programs to focus on broadband. After leaving the FCC in 2017, she founded a consulting practice advising broadband providers and others active in the telecommunications industry, focusing on government funding strategy and execution, public policy advocacy, and regulatory compliance.