Session Speakers: WISPAPALOOZA 2022

Profile Picture	Full Name	Company	Job Title	Speaking At	Attendee Bio
	Diane Rinaldo	Open RAN Policy Coalition	Executive Director	How the IIJA and Other Congressional Statutes Have Changed the Regulatory Landscape and Impacted Your Plans for Fiber and Wireless Deployments	Diane Rinaldo is one of the country’s leading authorities on 5G, telecommunications supply chain security and privacy. She served as Acting Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. During her time at NTIA, Ms. Rinaldo directed the Administration’s efforts on privacy; testified in the House of Representatives and Senate on 5G and Internet security issues; served as a principal advising the White House and Congress on 5G and supply chain; as well as other successes in education and deployment of Internet access around the world. Prior to her Executive Branch service, Ms. Rinaldo served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where she focused on Congress’ landmark cybersecurity legislation, the Cybersecurity Act of 2015. She also served as Congress’ oversight and budget monitor for the National Security Agency and the defense network systems, and as Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman Mike Rogers as his top technology policy staffer. Ms. Rinaldo also spent time in the private sector as the Director of Government Affairs and cyber policy for SAP, and as a Vice President at a top consulting firm in Washington, DC. Recognized for her work on cybersecurity, Ms. Rinaldo was awarded the Executive Women’s Forum’s 2016 Influencer of the Year award; was named one of the top ten people in Washington, D.C. impacting cyber legislation; and has consulted on movies and television. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Maine and an Executive Certificate from Harvard University for Cyber Studies.
	Dominic Villecco	VCOMM Telecommunications and Engineering	Founder and President	How To Fund And Build Your Fixed Wireless Network To Comply With Environmental, RF, and Other Infrastructure Siting Rules	Dominic Villecco has 40 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. As Founder and President of V COMM Telecommunications Engineering, he has led the company from two employees to more than 50, with three offices on the East Coast. He is a qualified expert witness in telecommunications engineering in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Michigan. He has also testified in Federal Court on behalf of the FCC and US Department of Justice in high-profile cases. Prior to founding V COMM in 1995, Mr. Villecco led all engineering efforts for Comcast Cellular Communications, Inc., and Comcast International Holdings. As former Director of Engineering for American Cellular Network Corporation (AMCELL), he helped design the first regional cellular network in the United States with propriety automatic call delivery among independent carriers. Mr. Villecco’s expertise provides a positive impact upon his clients’ growth rates and their ability to secure financing from key vendors. He previously served as Vice Chairman on the Board of Advisors for Drexel University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2001. He also served as Chairman of the Technical Subcommittee for the Association of Public Safety Officials-International, Inc. (APCO) Region 28 and its 700 MHz initiatives. Mr. Villecco is recognized as a telecommunications expert by the FCC and the US Department of Justice. He is President of the Board of Trustees for the New Jersey Wireless Association (NJWA).
	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
	Ed Frawley	Tectonic	(not set)	How To Fund And Build Your Fixed Wireless Network To Comply With Environmental, RF, and Other Infrastructure Siting Rules	Edward F. Frawley, Senior Vice President of Project Deployment – Nationwide, Mr. Frawley has been with Tectonic for over 23 years and is responsible for corporate site development, planning and zoning services, civil engineering, geotechnical, survey, and visual services for all projects nationwide. He is currently overseeing Tectonic’s participation in numerous Rural Broadband Initiatives throughout the USA. His responsibilities include day-to-day operations, marketing, budgeting, hiring of employees, profit and loss reporting, client interaction, project process and procedures and quality control. Mr. Frawley oversees all Site Acquisition and ROW services Nationwide.
	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.
	Evan Galvin	Ping Marketing	CEO	Best Practices for Marketing From Lead to Installed: The Customer Journey	Evan Galvin is the CEO of Ping Marketing. A successful entrepreneur and a recognized authority in sales and marketing, Evan's journey in the ISP industry is marked by significant accomplishments. He founded and was the driving force behind XL Broadband, an Internet Service Provider that he scaled to multiple seven figures before executing a successful exit. This venture provided him with profound insights into the unique challenges and opportunities within the ISP sector. Evan's expertise encompasses lead generation, marketing automation, customer relationship management, and sales conversion. He possesses a keen ability to identify market gaps and devise innovative solutions to address them. Beyond his business acumen, Evan is celebrated for his strategic thinking and hands-on approach, consistently leading to increased sales and revenue for his ventures.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	Nathan Stooke	Wisper ISP	CEO & Founder	Breakfast/Opening Session/State of WISPA Speed Dating WISPA Awards Luncheon All Things Private Equity Entrepreneurial Operating System for WISPs Closing Session and 50/50 Drawing	In the last 19 years, Nathan Stooke went from programming PCs to building Wisper into a successful multi-million dollar Internet service provider. With headquarters in Mascoutah, IL, Wisper now services Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. In 2018, the FCC announced that Wisper ISP won $220.3 million of federal funding in the FCC's rural broadband auction, the Connect America Fund Phase II. This money will be distributed to Wisper over a period of ten years. Wisper was one of 103 providers to win financial support from across the country. As CEO of Wisper, Nathan has provided high-speed Internet service to tens of thousands of happy customers; many in rural, underserved areas where previous service providers had been spotty or nonexistent. Stooke is a well-respected businessman in the St. Louis area; he was selected as a "Top 30 Under 30" by the St. Louis Business Journal and named on the list of the "Top 100 St. Louisans to Know" by the St. Louis Small Business Monthly. Wisper was named one of the Top 20 Small Businesses in 2014 and one of the 50 Fastest-Growing companies in St. Louis by St. Louis Small Business Monthly. Nathan credits his battle with Dyslexia, and his competitive nature gleaned from hours of intense training, which earned him a spot on the. U.S National Swim Team as his catalyst for success. His vision is to create standards in the wireless industry, establish Wisper as a household name, and continue to serve exceptional customers in rural and metropolitan communities. When not at the office, Stooke enjoys spending time with his wife and three children and you can often find him at the McKendree Rec Plex coaching a Seahawks Swim Team. He volunteers on the Wireless Internet Service Provider Association (WISPA) board and is a founding member of the Dyslexic Advantage, an educational, scientific and charitable organization that improves the lives of those with Dyslexia. Stooke attended high school (and currently resides) in O’Fallon, IL and received his undergraduate degree and his MBA from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
	Michael Mazer	Mazer Telecom Advisors, LLC	President	All Things Private Equity	Investment banker specializing in the telecom industry
	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)	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.
(not set)	Jay Anderson	FiberLight	Chief Technology Officer	Fiber for the Longhaul	Jay Anderson has more than 20 years of Networking Engineering and Management Leadership experience within the telecommunications industry. As FiberLight’s Chief Engineer, he leads the company in network design, planning and evolution in addition to steering alignment across functional teams throughout the business. During his tenure at FiberLight, Jay has held multiple other responsibilities, through which he has promoted organizational growth via new initiatives and effective use of processes and software. Prior to joining FiberLight, Jay was Director of Regional Engineering for FiberTower LLC, where he managed a team of engineers focused on planning, designing and implementing backhaul networks supporting the major Wireless Carriers in the United States. Other past experiences include Bluegrass Cellular and AT&T Wireless where he designed and managed cellular and backhaul networks.
	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.
	Jeff Broadwick	CTIconnect	Senior Sales Executive	Building Customer Confidence To Switch to FWA The Path to Gigabit - At Scale!	Jeff has spent over 20 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.
	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.
	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.
	Jeffrey Moore	Wave7 Research	Principal	Competition - Fiber, Satellite, Cable, DSL, 5G	Jeff Moore is Principal of Wave7 Research, a wireless research company that covers U.S. postpaid, prepaid, smartphone, and fixed wireless competition. He writes a monthly column for Fierce Wireless and is an expert on wireless retail. He is also Conference Director of the All Wireless & Prepaid Expo. Jeff has over 25 years of telecom industry experience, including 13 years of work for Sprint. Prior to Sprint, Jeff worked as a telecom analyst for Current Analysis and The Strategis Group. Jeff holds an MBA from Cornell University.
	Jeff Yee	Airwaive	CEO	GIS Mapping Isn't Just for Equipment Loading Helium, Pollen and Other Ways to Monetize Your Existing Broadcast Sites	Jeff Yee is a 25-year veteran in the wireless industry. Jeff serves as the CEO of Airwaive, an online marketplace for the deployment and operations of small cell wireless networks. Prior to Airwaive, Jeff was a Vice President at ZTE, a top five equipment manufacturer of wireless networks, leading innovation and marketing teams. Early in his career, Jeff held various roles at AT&T Wireless, including launching the first Internet phone in the United States and he was directly responsible for the creation of AT&T’s first app store.
	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.
	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.
	Jimmy Schaeffler	The Carmel Group	Chairman/CSO	Broad Policy Changes, Their Effects On Your Business, And Practical Strategies To Reduce Or Eliminate Their Debilitating Effects	Jimmy Schaeffler is chairman/CSO of The Carmel Group, a telecommunications, computer, and media industries business analysis and expert consultant. Under the umbrella of The Carmel Group, Mr. Schaeffler has helped wireless communication and media companies to plan, value, and optimize their systems, since 1995. He worked with and interviewed hundreds of wireless Internet service providers to create the Wireless Internet Service Provider Associations (WISPA) 2021 “Lift-off” report, which covers key benchmarks and trends in the Fixed Wireless and Hybrid Fiber Wireless Broadband industry. Mr. Schaeffler and The Carmel Group focus their expertise in cable, satellite, wireless, and telephony, and such new and/or advanced services as broadband, VOD, DVRs, HDTV, AI, VR, AR, interactive TV, and satellite radio. His insights and views are reported in such publications as Investor’s Business Daily, USA Today, Newsweek, TIME Magazine, Business Week, and The Wall Street Journal. He is also a regular speaker at international events such as the NAB, NCTA Cable Show, WISPAPALOOZA, CTAM, and CES. The Carmel Group’s website link is www.carmelgroup.com
	JJ McGrath	TekWav	CEO	The Importance Of Grassroots Advocacy To Growing Your Business Understanding the Subsidy Landscape: How the Government is Affecting Your Business	JJ McGrath, CEO of TekWav has more than 20 years of experience in Information Technology. JJ Started TekWav as a WISP in 2013 and has grown the business to over 1900+ subs over the course of 10 years with plans to transition to a FTTH provider. TekWav is a recipient of Rural Digital Opportunity Fund support to deploy gigabit fiber and JJ is currently executing on the company’s buildout requirements. Understanding the importance of strong federal and state engagement to the industry, JJ currently serves as Chairman of the WISPA Government Affairs Committee, as well as the WISPA Texas State Broadband Advocate.
	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.
	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.
	John Sweeting	ARIN	Chief Customer Officer	Achieving Network Autonomy	John Sweeting, the Chief Customer Officer of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) maintains and oversees all aspects of customer relations at the organization. He brings extensive expertise in the Internet industry, having a track record of building and managing large global networks with leading international carriers such as MCI, Cable & Wireless, Teleglobe and Tata. Prior to joining ARIN, John served as the Senior Director of Architecture & Engineering for Time Warner Cable, where he was responsible for selecting and testing all network infrastructure, from the core backbone to the service delivery platforms. John is a retired Chief Warrant Officer having served 24 years in the United States Army Signal Corps.
	Jonathan Black	CanWISP	Executive Director	Exit Strategies WISP Management Systems	Jonathan is the Executive Director of CanWISP (www.canwisp.ca) and an advisor to ISPs. In his role with CanWISP, Jonathan represents the WISP industry to the CRTC and at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) on matter such as equal access to government funding, spectrum and industry regulation. Outside of his involvement in CanWISP, Jonathan is a management consultant and advisor to WISPs through Kuro Partners. He has held senior operational, advisory and financial roles in various technology and software companies. Jonathan lived the upside of the Internet bubble in Venture Capital (late 1990s) and learned more difficult lessons working inside an internet startup when that bubble burst. Jonathan has an MBA from Ivey Business School at Western University, a Graduate Diploma from Regent College and an Honors B.Math (Comp Sci / Applied Math) from the University of Waterloo.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	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.
	Ken Ruppel	Aviat Networks	ISP Sales	Practical Capacity and Distance for Licensed Backhaul RF Design and Planning	Ken is an official ‘old guy’ with 40 years of experience in the wireless backhaul industry, starting off as an intern at Harris-Farinon in 1981. Ken has a BSEE degree in microwave communications from the University of Santa Clara, with 10 years working in microwave reconnaissance, and holding several technical leadership positions at microwave radio companies including Western Multiplex, Exalt Communications and now Aviat Networks. One of Ken’s notable achievements was his involvement in the early 90’s with the Part 15 Coalition, contributing to the creation of the original ISM and UNII bands and technologies such as WiFi and Bluetooth. Ken now leads the North American WISP business unit at Aviat Networks and is the co-host of the YouTube series ‘ShopTalk with Jim & Ken’.
	Kimberly Young	MKY Ventures	President	Drafting Grant Proposals to Apply for These Federal Funds	Kimberly Young is the President of MKY Ventures, LLC, providing State and Federal Grant Writing, Consulting and Administrative Services to ISPs all over North America. MKY Ventures is focused on helping ISPs to increase broadband access and helping to connect rural communities throughout the North America and US Territories. Before starting MKY Ventures, Kimberly spent 25 years in a Healthcare Administration career in helping doctors and hospital provide the best care for patients through influencing lawmakers, policy and administrators. During her time in healthcare, Kimberly continued writing grants on case-by-case bases for a select few technology and internet clients for the past 15 years. Today, MKY Ventures provides grant services, consulting for ISPs, and partners with marketplace providers to offer a suite of services for ISPs in need of assistance.
	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.
	Layne Sisk	ServerPlus	CEO & Janitor	Updated Training for Customer Service Representatives	Layne is the CEO and Janitor at ServerPlus, and the Founder of Real Choice TV. Layne is a proud husband, father and grandfather. Layne has been active in the ISP industry for over 20 year and has a passion for great customer service.
	Elizabeth Bowles	Aristotle Unified Communications L.L.C.	CEO	How the IIJA and Other Congressional Statutes Have Changed the Regulatory Landscape and Impacted Your Plans for Fiber and Wireless Deployments Developing Public Private Partnerships With States and Local Governments The Importance Of Grassroots Advocacy To Growing Your Business Understanding the Subsidy Landscape: How the Government is Affecting Your Business	L. Elizabeth Bowles is CEO of Aristotle Unified Communications, LLC, a broadband internet service provider headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. In that position, Elizabeth guides the strategic direction and vision of Aristotle and is integral to the development of Aristotle’s business relationships, including partnerships, investment strategies, and joint ventures. A passionate advocate for the expansion of affordable broadband services in rural and underserved areas, Elizabeth has testified before Congress and the FCC and served two terms as Chair of the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee, which is an independent advisory body tasked with making policy recommendations for eliminating the digital divide. A past President of the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA), Elizabeth currently serves on WISPA’s Policy Committee and is its Arkansas State Coordinator and Regional Ambassador for the Southeast Region. Elizabeth is licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C. and Arkansas, as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States and a number of U.S. Courts of Appeals. Prior to joining Aristotle’s leadership team in 2000, Elizabeth was an attorney with the Washington, D.C. law firm of Arnold & Porter, where she practiced in the fields of intellectual property and commercial litigation with an emphasis on international and technology law. Elizabeth graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a B.A. in International Studies and obtained her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1993, where she graduated first in her class, Order of the Coif, and was awarded the Founder’s Medal. Elizabeth also received the top score on the 1993 bar exam. Elizabeth has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Arkansas State Bank Board, Better Business Bureau of Arkansas (past President), Rotary Club 99 (Communications Chair), Central Arkansas Executives Association, City Year Little Rock/North Little Rock (Founding Board Member), YPO Chapter Chair and Regional Education Chair, Arkansas’ Quality Digital Learning Study Committee, the Arkansas Broadband Council, and Arkansas’ FASTER committee.
	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.
	Mark Albertyn	Wisper ISP, LLC	CFO	Financial Accounting for WISP's Preparing for a Financial Statement Audit	Mark is currently the CFO at Wisper ISP and has been with Wisper for almost 4 years. Before joining Wisper Mark was in South Africa as the CFO in the Education and Training space. Mark has been in finance for over 25 years and has worked for the licensed operator of the National Lottery in South Africa as well as in the financial services sector for one of the top 4 banks. Mark has been a part owner in a currency trading business as well as having his own import and export company. Mark holds a bachelor’s and post graduate honors degrees in finance from the University of Pretoria in South Africa and Mark is a qualified Chartered Accountant (SA)… similar to a CPA qualification in the USA. Mark is passionate about sports and grew up swimming while later representing his home country of South Africa in Indoor and Beach Volleyball.
	Mark Radabaugh	Amplex	CEO	WISP Financing Technical Considerations in Multi Access Networks	Mark Radabaugh is the President of Amplex Internet that has been providing broadband to Northwest Ohio since 1997 and now serves thousands of residences and businesses. He has been a member of WISPA since 2006. In 2020, Mark was elected Chairman of the WISPA Board of Directors.
	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.
	Marc Perea	RemoteWinBox	CEO	Great Troubleshooting Methods IP Conservation	MikroTikMarc has decades of route/switch experience paired with multi-vendor certifications as well as computer science and management information systems degrees combined with entrepreneurial spirit resulting in a wealth of knowledge for Marc Perea to draw from
	Adrian Berezowsky	Dynamic Environmental	(not set)	How To Fund And Build Your Fixed Wireless Network To Comply With Environmental, RF, and Other Infrastructure Siting Rules	Mr. Berezowsky is Vice President at Dynamic Environmental Associates (DEA), He has over 15 years of experience in the wireless infrastructure industry having helped to found IVI Telecom Services, Inc., a nationwide environmental consulting firm which also specialized in environmental and regulatory due diligence for wireless infrastructure development. IVI was acquired by CBRE in late 2014 where he served as Senior Managing Director until 2018 after which he founded BirchCo, Inc., a boutique firm specializing in regulatory and environmental oversight for commercial projects, whose operations were merged into DEA’s in early 2020. He attended The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science & Art and Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and is a board member, and former Vice President for the New York State Wireless Association and co-chair of the Wireless Infrastructure Associations Environmental Engineering and Consultants Working Group. He lives in the lower Hudson Valley of New York with his wife and three young boys and enjoys spending time with them as well as mountain biking, reading and attending various events of the Ukrainian diaspora.
	Jesse Nichols	Houlihan Lokey	Managing Director	Issues In Selling And Buying A WISP	Mr. Nichols is a Managing Director in Houlihan Lokey’s Global Technology Group focusing on the Digital Infrastructure sector. Throughout his career, Mr. Nichols has led many sellside wireless and wireless infrastructure transactions and has an intimate knowledge of the digital infrastructure space. Prior to joining Houlihan Lokey, Mr. Nichols was a Managing Director at Alpina Capital, LLC, an independent M&A advisory firm that provides a range of advisory services to clients in the telecommunications sector. While there, he led communications infrastructure M&A and advisory. Mr. Nichols holds a B.A. in International Political Economy from Colorado College.
	Daniel White	Atheral LLC	Co-Founder	Culture vs Company Values: What Do I Need?	Mr. White is a 20-year telecommunications veteran and the Co-Founder of Atheral LLC, a white-Label services company that builds customer-centric cloud solutions that are geo-redundant, highly available, and scalable. Atheral offers a white-label cloud VoIP solution that more than 150 WISPs utilize in their network today. Before Atheral, he was the Managing Director of Sales and Operations for CTIconnect, and the Managing Director of North America for SAF Tehinka. He also served in engineering, installation, and tower climbing roles. Mr. White previously served on the WISPA Board of Directors.