Session Speakers: WISPAPALOOZA 2022

Profile Picture	Full Name	Company	Job Title	Speaking At	Attendee Bio
(not set)	Somi Alapati	Mavenir	VP Strategy, Business Development, Head of ORAN Solutions NA	The Benefits of pLTE WiFi 6e for Fixed Wireless Access Deep Dive Revenue Now, Fiber Later	SOMI ALAPATI is a VP of Strategy, Business Development, Head of ORAN Solutions, North America, at Mavenir based in Richardson, Texas. He is responsible for strategy, ORAN solutions for MNOs, Rural Carriers, and Cable Carriers in the USA. Prior roles have spanned radio access, voice core, and packet core network products. With over 27 years of experience in wireless & communications systems, Somi held a variety of technology and leadership roles including product architecture, product management, engineering, research & development, and technology trials. Somi holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from University of North Texas, Denton. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science & Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Warangal, India. Somi lives in the Dallas area with his wife and two children.
	Michael Kletchko	Adtran	VP, RSP West Sales	Plug and Play Cookie Cutter Concepts Simplify FTTH Deployments	(not set)
(not set)	Matt Hamlin	EdgeTeam Technology	VP of Sales	Which Way to Build - Up or Down?	(not set)
	Alex Freylekhman Freylekhman	Telrad Networks	VP of Sales	The Benefits of pLTE	Alex Freylekhman is an industry veteran who’s mission statement of making world faster one network at the time, has become a life mission. Having an advanced degree in computer science, and nearly 20 year experience with wireless broadband he brings a wealth of knowledge and practical skill into any broadband conversation or project.
	Steven Glapa	Tarana Wireless	VP of Marketing	Building Customer Confidence To Switch to FWA	Steven is VP of Marketing at Tarana Wireless. He has more than 20 years of experience in telecommunications innovation, with prior stints at Ruckus (where he led business and channel development that drove 10x revenue gains over 4 years and a $1b IPO), Zhone, ArrayComm, Lucent, and other startups in wireless, machine learning, and robotics. He holds an MBA from Columbia University, a BA in Physics from Carleton College, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science from George Washington University.
	Absolom Quinlivan	Fonex	VP of Business Development	Fiber Technologies - 10Gbps Design Overview	(not set)
(not set)	Kevin Czaicki	Millennium	VP of Broadband Solutions		(not set)
	Ilissa Miller	DE-CIX	VP Market Development	Best Practices for Marketing	Ilissa Miller is the CEO and founder of iMiller Public Relations, the President of NEDAS, a co-founder of the Independent Data Center Alliance and serves as the VP of Market Development for DE-CIX, the world's largest carrier and data center neutral interconnection ecosystem. With more than 25 years in the digital infrastructure space, Ilissa is a data center, IXP, interconnection and network expert.
	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.
(not set)	Todd Webb	Komodo Systems	VP Development	Next Generation Network Monitoring Beyond SNMP	Todd’s education and training is in research software engineering, where researching the requirements is a significant part of each project. Todd has a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Master’s degrees in Mathematics and Software Engineering.
(not set)	Adair Winter	AW Broadband	VP / Co-Owner		(not set)
	JAMES TAYLOR	BLUEBIRD NETWORK	VP - Carrier and Strategic Sales	Fiber Deployment Options Fiber to Fiber - Connecting FTTH Islands	James is an industry veteran with experience in fiber optic networks and wireless operations, and strives to connect communications companies to enable the expansion of their operations.
(not set)	William King Jr	Media King Communications	VP Business Development	Marketing to the Government	(not set)
	John Scrivner	Live Oak Bank	VP - Broadband	WISP Financing	John Scrivner currently serves as VP of Broadband for Live Oak Bank where he has been for the last three plus years. He previously worked for a decade in the CATV industry and then built and sold his WISP, Mt.Vernon.Net, Inc. John also served on the founding board of WISPA where he held the offices of President, Treasurer and several committee chair positions.
	Tom Mitchell	netElastic	Vice President, Strategy & Business Development	Technical Considerations in Multi Access Networks	Tom Mitchell is Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at netElastic Systems, Inc. a leading supplier of virtual networking technologies for Service Providers. He has over 30 years of networking industry experience driving strategic customer, partner and investor relationships. Tom co-founded and served as the Chief Executive of RadioLAN, and has held senior Sales, Marketing, and Business Development roles at companies such as Alloy Computer Products, Apple, Brocade, and Proxim. Tom can be reached at tmitchell@netelastic.com
(not set)	Patrick Buthmann	BLiNQ Networks	Vice President Sales, Marketing & Business Development	The Benefits of pLTE CBRS and Other Private Network Strategies	(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.
	Louis Peraertz	Wireless Internet Service Providers Association	Vice President of Policy	Spectrum Update	Louis Peraertz is WISPA’s Vice President of Policy. In this role, Louis works to advance WISPA’s successful track record before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and other federal agencies. Prior to WISPA, Louis worked in several capacities at the FCC. Notably, for more than seven years, Louis served as legal advisor to former FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn in the areas of wireless, satellite, public safety, and international policies. In this position, Louis worked to achieve many of the Commissioner’s top policy priorities to bridge the digital divide, such as: increased spectrum for unlicensed services in the TV White Spaces, CBRS, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, and spectrum bands above 24 GHz; dynamic spectrum access management policies in the TV White Spaces, 3.5 GHz, and 37 GHz bands; design of geographic area licenses and competitive bidding policies to enhance the ability of small wireless companies to acquire spectrum at auctions; reform of universal service policies for commercial wireless services. Before the FCC, Louis worked as a federal appellate court litigator for the U.S. Department of Justice, and served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General Corps. He has a BA from Princeton University and a JD from Harvard Law School.
	Eric Slee	Wireless Internet Service Providers Association	Vice President of Government Affairs	The Importance Of Grassroots Advocacy To Growing Your Business	Eric Slee currently serves as Vice President of Government Affairs for WISPA. In this capacity, he helps guide the advocacy efforts of the association’s 1000 members before Capitol Hill, as well WISPA’s growing state and local, and grassroots portfolio. Before arriving at WISPA, Slee was Legislative Director for Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), former Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. In that role, Eric managed Senator Roberts’ legislative staff and worked to implement the Senator’s legislative agenda. He also served as primary advisor to the Senator on policy matters related to telecom, energy, trade, and the environment. Prior to that, Slee was Senior Account Executive for the DCI Group in Washington, DC, developing and maintaining long-term relationships with think tanks, political activists, issue experts, and advocacy organizations on public policy issues related to the telecommunications industry. Other positions Eric has held include Communications Training Director for the Leadership Institute in Arlington, Virginia; and Legislative Correspondent for former Representative Mark Green (R-WI-8) in Washington, DC. Slee earned his BA degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.
	Frank DeJoy	Render Networks	Vice President Network Deployment	Fiber Deployment Options	Frank DeJoy is VP of Network Deployment for Render Networks, where he is leading the growth of Render Networks' North American business with a geospatial construction management SaaS platform. The Render solution enables network operators and builders to deploy broadband, fiber, and wireless networks faster while reducing risk and cost through digital transformation and automation. Render is the only construction management firm that has been recognized as a "FTTH Top 100 Company" by Broadband Communities for four consecutive years. Frank's thirty-year track record in telecommunications includes global business, network, and product development during executive roles at AT&T, Teleport Communications Group, General Dynamics, Dycom, Quanta Services, and Spectrum Effect (AI wireless startup). During his tenure at AT&T, Frank led the growth of the first wireless data network unit from its inception to support over $1B in ARR. Frank is a Senior Member of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a member of the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA), and BCSI. Frank also earned an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with Highest Honors from Rutgers University.
	Douglas Patterson	Crown Castle	Vice President, Implementation & Operations	Fiber Technologies - 10Gbps Design Overview Which Way to Build - Up or Down? Troubleshooting Fiber	Douglas Patterson - Crown Castle Vice President – West Region 24 years of Telecom Engineering, Construction & Operations. Crown Castle – 5 Years Previously with US West/Qwest/CenturyLink - Western U.S. - 18 Years
	Scott Woods	Ready.net	Vice President for Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships	Drafting Grant Proposals to Apply for These Federal Funds	Scott D. Woods is 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 nonprofit 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-groundwork 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. As the Vice President for Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships for Ready.net, Scott will facilitate and develop key public-private partnerships formed via the Broadband.Money platform; develop a platform for local communities to express their needs for broadband access and digital equity investments; and develop industry partnerships and foster alliances with key stakeholders to advance and support community-based broadband education and advocacy initiatives. Scott received his Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Morehouse College; Master of Arts in Public Policy from American University; and Juris Doctor from Howard University School of Law.
(not set)	Marc Hemann	Cambium Networks	Training Manager	Universal Access Architecture with Adaptive Cloud Networking	(not set)
	Andrew Pigney	American Tower	Technology Principal	RF Design and Planning	Andrew Pigney currently works for American Tower Corporation as Technology Principal, providing technical and engineering support for many internal groups globally. He has over 40 years work experience ranging from military electronic warfare systems to wireless telecom service and infrastructure providers. He is well versed in many technology disciplines including RF engineering planning, design, and deployment of outdoor and indoor wireless infrastructure ranging from broadband to microwave to 5G. He lives in New England, is father to seven children, four grandchildren, and enjoys playing guitar in several bands
	Paul Kmit	Clearfield, Inc.	Technology Platform Manager	Plug and Play Cookie Cutter Concepts Simplify FTTH Deployments	(not set)
	Vardin Amiri	Tarana	Technical Sales Engineer	Dealing With Interference - Session Sponsored by Wireless Coverage WiFi 6e for Fixed Wireless Access Deep Dive	Vardin Amiri is a highly seasoned Technical Sales Engineer with more than 22 years of experience in the Wireless industry. He has worked for manufacturers of Point-to-Point as well as Point-to-MultiPoint wireless solutions built on proprietary and standard based technologies, such as LTE and 802.11xx chipsets.
	Bruce Terry	King Communication	Technical/Fiber manager	Fiber Deployment Options	Technical/Fiber manager at King for 8 years, in the industry for 30, been with MSOs, software developers and engineering contractors. Working with fiber technologies and architectures for 10 years in Greenfields, Brownfields areas, front and backhaul, FTTx and vertical designs.
	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)	Ivan Bykov	Ribbon	Systems Architect	Technical Considerations in Multi Access Networks Transport to Peering: An Efficient Way to Improve Network Performance	(not set)
(not set)	MIKE ROWELL	HILLIARY COMMUNICATIONS	SVP, OPERATIONS	Fiber Deployment Options Plug and Play Cookie Cutter Concepts Simplify FTTH Deployments	(not set)
	Jim Staheli	Positron	SVP Global Partner Management	All Things MDU - From Sales to Service to Tech MDU/MTU Cost Analysis - To Rewire or To NOT Rewire	Senior VP of Sales for Positron Access Solutions. Jim is a seasoned Sales & Operations Executive in the Technology, Broadband & Networking Industry. Jim has 25 years of experience nurturing technology manufacturers from start-up to global market leaders. Prior to joining Positron in 2019, Jim was instrumental in helping both Advanced Fibre Communications (1993-1999) and Calix Networks (2000-2017) grow from pre-revenue startups to $400 million+ annual revenue and from private to public companies with successful IPOs. Mimosa, Jim’s third start-up, was acquired by Airspan in 2019. Jim is a veteran of both direct and channel sales models both in the US and internationally, with large and small customers in a multitude of telecom market segments. He also has significant sales operations experience including the implementation of CRMs, employee and customer portals, and all manner of back office tools. Jim holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems from California Polytechnic University in Pomona California and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Claremont Graduate School in Claremont California.
	Chuck Hogg	All Points Broadband	SVP		(not set)
	Doug Payauys	Adtran	Strategic Sales Development Mgr.	Fiber Dos and Don'ts	Adtran’s Doug Payauys [pay-I-us] serves as a Strategic Sales Development Manager where he fosters business development opportunities with other industry leading companies and works with customers on innovative broadband solutions. Doug spent over 20 years in the electric cooperative and internet service provider industries. His experience from the early days of the internet with dial-up, PTP and PTMP wireless, DSL, and satellite services highlighted the need for a fully owned and operated fiber network. He was the driving force behind an electric utility’s investment in middle-mile fiber. In 2017, he developed a residential broadband business plan and began deploying fiber-to-the-home for electric members and others in the community. Doug holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Safety and Industrial Technology from Illinois State University and Master of Science in Computer Information Systems from the University of Phoenix. He is a graduate of NRECA’s Robert I. Kabat Management Internship Program. He is a founding member of the Ohio Internet Exchange (Ohio IX) where he serves as the board chair.
	Steven Schwerbel	Wireless Internet Service Providers Association	State Advocacy Manager	The Importance of State Advocacy In BEAD Funding Decisions The Importance Of Grassroots Advocacy To Growing Your Business	Steven Schwerbel currently serves as State Advocacy Manager for WISPA. In this capacity, he helps engage our volunteer coordinators in advocacy opportunities with state broadband offices, legislators, and policymakers who are shaping state-level broadband decisions. Before arriving at WISPA, Schwerbel was a staffer for Wisconsin state senator Julian Bradley, serving as his Committee Clerk for the Senate Committee on Utilities, Technology, and Telecommunications. Here, he managed bills related to a variety of utilities policy, including bills making changes to Wisconsin’s broadband grant program, and maintained strong relationships with the state’s Public Service Commission. Prior to this, Schwerbel served as staff for state representative Romaine Quinn, where he focused on broadband and rural development policy, drafting bills aimed at expanding rural broadband access. Here, he also served as the Committee Clerk for the Assembly Committee on Science and Technology and advised Rep. Quinn on broadband and internet-security related policy questions. Schwerbel began his government service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Azerbaijan, where he worked with English teachers in a rural village school.
	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.
	Victoria Tse	Lightyear	Sr. Director, Events & Field Marketing		(not set)
(not set)	Michael Jamgochian	Nokia	Solution Manager	Practical Capacity and Distance for Licensed Backhaul	NA
(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)	John Brown	Team Cymru	Senior Security Evangelist	Ransomware - Proofing Your ISP Transport to Peering: An Efficient Way to Improve Network Performance	(not set)
	Jeff Broadwick	CTIconnect	Senior Sales Executive	Building Customer Confidence To Switch to FWA The Path to Gigabit - At Scale!	Jeff has spent over 25 years in the WISP industry, mostly with CTIconnect and ImageStream. He served two terms as a Board Member of WISPA and continues to sit on the Policy Committee (was FCC Committee). He as been to every Wispamerica and Wispapalooza show and is a charter member. He is an executive sales rep for CTIconnect, selling most of the WISP industry hardware. He has an MBA from Indiana University South Bend and a bachelors degree from Wayne State. He lives just outside of South Bend Indiana with his wife Lori.
	Jeremy Austin	Preseem	Senior Product Manager	Great Troubleshooting Methods Resiliency and Reliability in WISP networks	As Senior Product Manager, Jeremy is responsible for product direction in analytics with an emphasis on Fixed Wireless at Preseem. Based in Alaska, Jeremy brings over 20 years of product development and ISP/telecom/WISP network design and engineering experience to the position, including a recent role at Alaska Communications as Senior IP Network Systems Engineer.
(not set)	Mike Starrett	Wisper ISP	Senior Inventory Manager	WISP Management Systems	(not set)
	Jeff Brown	Calix	Senior Director Field Marketing	Fiber Technologies - 10Gbps Design Overview Competition - Fiber, Satellite, Cable, DSL, 5G	Jeff Brown is Director of Product & Field Marketing for Calix. Jeff has been at Calix three and a half years, and prior to that he spent his entire career working for broadband service providers. He has extensive experience building and growing broadband markets for wireline and wireless network operators, having spent over 25 years leading Business Development, Product and Marketing organizations for companies including Windstream, Zayo, Covad, Suddenlink, Sprint and MCI. He resides in the greater Chicago area in Naperville, Illinois.
(not set)	Juan Rodriguez	Nokia	Senior Director	Universal Access Architecture with Adaptive Cloud Networking Plug and Play Cookie Cutter Concepts Simplify FTTH Deployments	(not set)
	Katie Merce	Crown Castle	Senior Attorney - Government Relations	The Importance of State Advocacy In BEAD Funding Decisions	Katie Merce is Senior Attorney – Government Relations for Crown Castle and has more than ten years of broad experience in the telecommunications industry, including extensive background in real estate, customer agreements and municipal approvals. As a key partner of Crown Castle’s network deployment and government affairs teams, she strategically employs federal, state, and local law to facilitate timely construction of small cells and fiber, and advocates for Crown Castle before local and state government officials. Previously at Crown Castle, Katie worked closely with Crown Castle’s tower customer sales group, with a focus on constructing complex agreements and supporting expansion into new business segments, including ensuring Crown Castle’s internal legal processes accommodated the needs of WISPS. Prior to joining Crown Castle, Katie served as real estate counsel for a small wireless infrastructure company drafting ground leases and long-term easements to support rapid expansion. Katie received her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, and her juris doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
	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.
	Craig Muller	Tarana	Sales Engineer	How Important are PALs to my CBRS Deployment?	Craig Muller is a Tarana Wireless Sales Engineer primarily supporting Eastern US clients. Craig has been involved in wireless delivery of internet and services for over 20 years. His experience includes being a field engineer, President of a WISP, 4 years in distribution, 9 years with two manufacturers and ownership of a wireless centric VAR. In addition, Craig has worked for SPRINT, NASA, and performed Satellite Communication Ground Station support for the US army.
	Kathleen McDonald	Aristotle Unified Communications L.L.C	Regulatory and Compliance Officer	How To Fund And Build Your Fixed Wireless Network To Comply With Environmental, RF, and Other Infrastructure Siting Rules	Kathleen McDonald is the Regulatory and Compliance Officer of Aristotle Unified Communications L.L.C., a leading provider of broadband connectivity solutions that is committed to moving the needle on digital equity and inclusion in Arkansas, and soon in Mississippi, Oklahoma, and other areas. Prior to re-joining the Aristotle team in late 2020, Kathleen represented individuals and businesses in immigration matters after having served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Pulaski County, Arkansas for several years. She received her J.D. from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is a summa cum laude graduate of UA Little Rock’s Donaghey Scholars Program where she received bachelor’s degrees in International Studies and in French. Kathleen is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association, and she is on the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Bar Association.
(not set)	Derek Underwood	Cambium Networks	Regional Vice President - North America	All Things MDU - From Sales to Service to Tech	(not set)