Speakers
Paloma Amayo-Ryan
Program Manager, Right of Way Management Division, Austin Transportation Department
As an Austin-native, Paloma prioritizes service to her community. She has been with the Austin Transportation Department for almost nine years where she oversees two demanding and integral functions for the department – right of way permitting and project coordination. Prior to that she served as a S.T.E.M teacher and social worker. She earned a B.S. in Communications and a Texas Business Foundations Program Certificate, from the University of Texas at Austin. Paloma is a current member of the National Skee-Ball League and in her free time enjoys exploring the nooks and crannies of cities and towns, near and far.
Garth has over 40 years of accounting and utility regulatory experience. His previous experience includes consulting since 1991 and working as Audit Supervisor with the Missouri Public Service Commission. He holds licenses as a Certified Public Accountant in the states of Missouri and Florida. He served 4 terms on the Board of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (“NATOA”) as its Secretary/Treasurer and was made a Life Member.
He has worked since 1992 for over 200 cities and counties on municipal utility contract and franchise related matters related to telecommunications, cable, electric, and natural gas utilities. He has worked for cities and counties as an independent consultant, including reviews of franchise and PEG fees and sales taxes, as well as litigation support as an expert witness.
Mr. Ashpaugh has reviewed and recalculated franchise fees paid to the local authorities and performed detailed financial analyses related to franchise renewals and transfers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. He has assisted in the filing of comments with the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”).
His firm, Ashpaugh & Sculco, CPAs, PLC (“A&S”), provides a broad spectrum of rate, financial and management services, with special emphasis on franchise and franchise-related issues including assistance in cable television, telephone, and telecommunications franchise fee and regulatory matters. A&S has completed over 100 cable franchise and PEG fee projects.
Allixa Consulting, Inc., formed in 2015, provides consulting services on a contingent basis for clients who cannot afford or do not have the ability or desire for a time and materials contract.
Rick Assmus started working for the City of Arvada in the Engineering Department as a Cad Technician in 1990. In 2000 he moved to KATV8, the city’s government PEG channel. After working at KATV for 8 years as an editor, he was given the opportunity to oversee the PEG channel. He did that up until 2016 when another opportunity came up and he became the Project Manager for AFON, Arvada Fiber Optic Network. Rick has continued to work on AFON as the Community Connectivity Manager. He also has been the Vice President for the past 6 years for the CCUA, Colorado Communications and Utilities Alliance, which is Colorado’s State chapter to NATOA. He has been a NATOA board member for the last three years.
Adam Badertscher is a Video Production Specialist for the city of Thornton, CO. He’s been producing award-winning original content and live meeting coverage for Thornton’s government access channel and associated online platforms since 2006 and is proud to work and live in Thornton. He earned his Bachelor of Arts – Motion Picture/Video/Theater degree from Montana State University.
Suzanne Bartole is a photojournalist, multimedia, and video producer with the County of San Diego. She is also co-producer/photographer/editor for Ken Kramer’s About San Diego on Public Television KPBS, and the videographer for LEGOLAND California. Previously, she worked at the NBC and Fox stations in San Diego as a news photojournalist and editor. Specializing in video storytelling, her career has taken her across the country and abroad, creating videos on hundreds of subjects, from swimming with sharks in the Dominican Republic to making martinis atop glaciers in New Zealand for the popular Sam the Cooking Guy television show. She has served as Foundation CEO and Vice President of the NATAS Pacific Southwest Chapter. Suzanne is the current Awards Chair for NATOA and a SCAN-NATOA Board Member. She enjoys spending time with her niece and nephews and helping low-income families achieve self-sufficiency.
Jordana Barton is the vice president of community investments at Methodist Healthcare Ministries, where she oversees the organization’s strategic grant-making and grant-seeking processes. Her leadership is critical in ensuring Methodist Healthcare Ministries’ philanthropic and community development practices support its commitment to health equity—reducing the inequities inherent across South Texas so the least served have greater opportunities to reach their full potential. She brings extensive knowledge of broadband and digital inclusion to help address the needs of underserved communities, which can enable them to achieve positive health outcomes and break the cycle of inter-generational poverty.
Barton previously served as Senior Advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas–San Antonio Branch, where she supported the Federal Reserve System’s economic growth objectives. Her focus included digital inclusion, workforce development, healthy communities, financial
education, affordable housing, small business development and the Community Reinvestment Act.
Jordana is lead author of “Las Colonias in the 21st Century: Progress Along the Texas-Mexico Border” (2015), and author of “Closing the Digital Divide: A Framework for Meeting CRA Obligations” (2016). 2018-2021 publications include “Preparing Workers for the Expanding Digital Economy,” “Telehealth Along the Texas-Mexico Border,” “Telehealth Initiatives Highlight the Need to Close the Digital Divide,” “Connecting Communities During COVID-19: A Quick Guide to Broadband Solutions,” and “Brownsville: Planning the Infrastructure of the Digital Economy.” Forthcoming in 2021: “Broadband is Essential Infrastructure: A Practical Guide for Local Governments,” and “Closing the Homework Gap Permanently with a Private Wireless Solution.”
Jordana serves on the Steering Committees for Digital Texas, the Digital Inclusion Alliance San Antonio and the collective impact project, Digital Opportunity for the Rio Grande Valley. She is on the Board of Directors of SA2020 and on the Advisory Board of the Texas Health Improvement Network of the University of Texas System. In 2018, she received the “Federal Policy Champion Award” from the Coalition for Local Internet Choice and the “Community Broadband Hero Award” from the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors. In 2020, she was named, “Salud Hero” (health hero) by Salud America, a program of UT Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame. Jordana grew up in the rural South Texas border community of Benavides. She holds an MPA from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Bill Bennett joined ENCO Systems in early 2019 with a focus on sales engineering and product development, after a sales engineering position with the German manufacturer Lawo. Previously, he was a long-time freelance broadcast engineer, consultant and project manager, overseeing ITV & OTT deployments at QVC, and venue technical build-out & operations for five Olympic Games and countless US broadcasts spanning the NBA, NHL, NFL and more. He exercised the right-brain as an executive producer and new media business development executive also at QVC, and owned a laser display production company (where he got to play with really big lasers).
Lisa Berglund is an award-winning videographer, editor, producer and storyteller. For over 50 years, the National Press Photographers Association has awarded its Photographer of the Year to the finest in the nation. Lisa was the first and only woman videographer to receive this honor.
Lisa’s work with corporations, international news and non-profit organizations has given her powerful professional experience – including shooting, producing, and editing news, marketing and promotional videos, PSA’s and documentaries.
Lisa specializes in working in some of the most remote corners of the world, because she feels strongly about giving voice to people who are rarely heard. She has worked in over 30 countries, including Angola, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, India, and Ecuador.
Lisa is also a sought-after teacher and coach. She has helped thousands of working journalists and filmmakers become better visual storytellers.
She is the owner of Gold Dog Media, Inc., and lives with her two amazing border collies in Washington State.
Nathan has been involved with video production and community media for over 17 years, co-founding CASTUS in 2010. Over this time, Nathan and his team grew CASTUS from a small start-up to a nation-wide company. He has worked with city governments and community organizations to produce and broadcast an extensive collection of content. Through his community involvement, Nathan is well respected throughout the greater Issaquah, Washington area where CASTUS is headquartered.
Mike Bradley is an attorney, with over 25 years of experience, practicing in the area of municipal telecommunications and cable franchising. He is the founding partner of Bradley Law, LLC, a municipal law firm based in the Twin Cities and is Special Counsel to the Seattle-based municipal law firm the Lighthouse Law Group. Throughout his career, Mike has advised local governments and PEG Organizations. Mike and his firm have been representing a large consortium of municipal clients from across the country on the FCC’s Section 621 proceeding and subsequent appeal to the Sixth circuit. Mike also represents cities on cable franchising and wireless siting matters. He is working with many cities on updating municipal codes addressing cable television, telecommunications, small cell wireless facilities permitting and master license agreements. Mike has received the highest attorney ratings from Martindale Hubble and AVVO and has been recognized as a Communications Law “Super Lawyer,” by Minnesota Super Lawyer magazine.
Dr. William Check is Senior Vice President, Science & Technology and Chief Technology Officer of NCTA – The Internet & Television Association. Heading NCTA’s technology efforts, he provides leadership and coordination of the industry’s interests in techno-policy, standards and guidelines. He is also responsible for the analysis and evaluation of the technical issues being considered by public policymakers, and supports the congressional and regulatory efforts that have technical components or implications.
Check has been in the field of telecommunications for over 30 years. Prior to NCTA, he worked for a number of different telecommunications organizations, including General Electric and GTE Corporation as part of their satellite divisions and has led the development of data, video and audio communications systems. He also worked for the Mutual Broadcasting System where he led the development and deployment of the first commercial satellite distribution system for the broadcasting industry.
He is a past Editor of Space Systems, IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems, and was a member of the U.S. Delegation for the recent World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT).
Jack Chin is the General Manager of SFGovTV – San Francisco Government Television and is responsible for the development and operation of two cable channels, the station’s online media contents and the City’s social media channels. He has over 25 years of experience in video production, information technology and management. He has implemented many key technology projects resulting in substantial savings to the City. He has completed the upgrade of the station’s digital infrastructure, production control rooms and editing suits and hearing rooms in City Hall to expand SFGovTV’s production services. Most recently, he ran the video communication unit for the City’s COVID Command Center producing daily press updates and health service programs.
Jack graduated from San Jose State University with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Industrial Technology, Manufacturing Systems & Business Management. He’s certified in computer & networking technology. He is a member of the Board of Directors of SCAN NATOA and works with non-profit that provides services to the Asian community in the San Francisco bay area.
Dan Cohen is an attorney with the Cohen Law Group, a law firm that specializes in representing local governments in cable, wireless, and broadband matters. For 23 years, the Cohen Law Group has assisted hundreds of local governments in six states in these matters. Dan has been a Board Member of NATOA for the last four years. Prior to starting the law firm, Dan was a municipal official himself, having served on the Pittsburgh City Council for 12 years. He and his wife Stacy have three children and live in Pittsburgh. Dan graduated from Yale University and from Stanford Law School.
Andy has been with Google Fiber for 5 ½ years, leading the engineering for their fiber deployment in the City of Austin. Early in his tenure, Andy developed, negotiated, trialed and won approval of the first microtrench installations in Austin and the first in the Google Fiber organization. Since then, microtrenching in Austin and across the Google Fiber organization has expanded to the primary deployment method, revolutionizing the deployment of fiber. Microtrenching in Austin has taken many forms over the years, and Andy is responsible for managing this evolution and maintaining a strong partnership with the City of Austin to facilitate an agreeable and predictable deployment.
Brandon Dittman is a Partner at the Denver Law firm of Kissinger & Fellman P.C. Brandon’s practice focuses on utilities law and policy, municipal law, telecommunications law, the growing area of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS or “drone”) law and policy, and serves as the Town Attorney for the Towns of Lyons and Empire, Colorado. Brandon is licensed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Remote Pilot in Command under Part 107, a long-time model aviator, and a student pilot manned aviator.
Brandon advises municipalities and private entities across the United States as both operators and regulators of UAS and has been heavily involved in the creation of comprehensive internal UAS use policies and the drafting of legally permissible UAS regulations. Brandon’s experience as a licensed commercial UAS operator, model aviator, aspiring manned aviator, and Town Attorney provides him with unique perspective on the various challenges of UAS operations, regulation, and integration which he regularly speaks on to organizations and universities across the United States.
Mr. Dittman is licensed to practice law in the state and federal courts of Colorado and New Jersey and is a proud graduate of Purdue University and the University of Colorado Law School.
Ken Fellman is a partner in the Denver law firm of Kissinger & Fellman, P.C. For over 36 years he has been working with local governments nationwide in connection with technology, communications, broadband, public safety communications issues and utility issues.
Ken is a former president of NATOA, and has provided communications and utility legal services to state chapters of NATOA in Colorado, Washington and New Jersey, the Colorado Municipal League, the Association of Washington Cities, the Association of Idaho Cities and the National League of Cities. He has also served as town, city and county attorney in multiple jurisdictions for over 35 years. He has been a strong advocate for local interests at the FCC, serving as the chair of the FCC’s Local and State Government Advisory Committee from 1997 – 2003 and as a member of the FCC’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee from 2011 – 2019.
Ken served as Mayor of Arvada, Colorado from 1999 – 2007. He has testified on communications matters before the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. For the past 12 years, Ken was named as one of Law & Politics’ Colorado Super Lawyers, a list that represents the top 5 percent of Colorado attorneys.
An original member of the NATOA Blues Band, Ken enjoys playing the guitar, and while he has occasionally joined friends and colleagues in public performances, he is often advised to keep his day job.
Ken received his B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, and his law degree from the University of Denver. He can be contacted at (303) 320-6100; e-mail: kfellman@kandf.com; Twitter: @kenfellman.
Nancy joined the Cobb County Attorney’s Office in May 2017, and currently serves as one of two Assistant County Attorneys. In this role, she leads a team of experienced attorneys that represent all departments within the County in transactional matters including real estate purchases and sales, intergovernmental agreements, procurement, transportation, construction, technology, and other contracts. Among her primary client responsibilities is the representation of the Cobb County Department of Transportation, which is responsible for managing the County rights of way, and the Communications Department, which is responsible for managing the local cable franchise(s). In those capacities, Nancy advises her clients regarding the permitting of cable and wireless facilities throughout the County. She was invited to be a member of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG) Broadband Study Committee, which advocates on behalf of Georgia’s counties at the state level with regard to broadband issues of local concern. She has contributed research and data for use before various Georgia Legislative hearings related to local management of utilities, wireless, and cable in the rights of way, including Georgia’s state small cell law prior to its adoption in 2019. Following the adoption of the Georgia small cell law, Nancy, in consultation with outside counsel, drafted a local ordinance to serve as guidance to the Transportation Department as the entity responsible for small cell permitting in the County.
Before coming to work for Cobb County, Nancy had a successful career with the Georgia Attorney General’s Office where she represented numerous State Agencies and Authorities as lead counsel, including The Jekyll Island Authority and the Georgia Ports Authority. She has both transactional and litigation experience, and a strong commitment to developing effective and rewarding client relationships. Nancy and her husband, John, also an attorney, live in Kennesaw, Georgia. They have two sons, Jack and Connor.
Gabriel Garcia has extensive legal experience in utility and communications regulation and transactional law. He began his regulatory legal career working with the Texas Office of Public Utility Counsel where he represented residential and small commercial customers in telecommunications and electric utility cases before the Public Utility Commission of Texas, State Office of Administrative Hearings, Federal Communications Commission, and the courts. He has also served as an Assistant Attorney General representing the State of Texas as a large industrial customer of electric and telecommunications services before state and federal regulators. His work with the Texas Attorney General also included acting as regulatory counsel for the Commission on State Emergency Communications and Department of Information Resources, as well as assisting the agency in complex litigation related to communications matters. Mr. Garcia’s legal experience includes positions in the private sector as in-house counsel for a telecommunications provider and cable over-builder. He currently serves as Senior Assistant City Attorney for the City of San Antonio addressing a wide variety of transactional and regulatory matters concerning electric, gas, water, stormwater, and wastewater utility services, communications matters, information technology, and right-of-way issues. Mr. Garcia serves on the Board of Directors of the Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, and is the immediate past Chair of the State Bar of Texas, Public Utility Law Section. He is a 1992 graduate of the University of Texas Law School, and holds a Masters Degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, and a Bachelors of Arts Degree also from the University of Texas. His is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
Karen George is a communications professional with forty years of experience in California and Minnesota ranging from television reporter, communications director for city government, communications and marketing professional for a school district, and currently as an executive director. In Karen’s current leadership role at Quad Cities Cable Communications Commission and QCTV, she is responsible for representing the cities of Andover, Anoka, Champlin, and Ramsey in telecommunications policy and regulation, overseeing the programming of seven local cable channels with livestream and VOD, and managing a video production facility. Karen currently serves as a board member for the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
Brian T. Grogan is a shareholder and director with the Minneapolis law firm of Moss & Barnett practicing in the firm’s communications, business law and infrastructure practice groups. Known as a respectful and determined advisor, negotiator, and problem solver, Brian is a highly experienced communications and technology law attorney. He has expertise in the federal and state regulatory requirements that apply to cable television, telecommunications, broadband, and emerging communications technologies. Brian also drafts and negotiates a variety of agreements in the communications industry, providing regulatory, compliance, and commercial advice. Brian regularly presents at state and national conferences on communications law, emphasizing franchise renewals, right of way management, code enforcement, wireless matters and communications contracting.
Brian Groves, City of San Angelo Communications Manager
Following his graduation from Angelo State University in 2008, Brian Groves joined the City as the assistant community information coordinator, spearheading the City’s video production. He was named City Videographer in 2017 and promoted to Communications Manager in 2019.
During his time behind the camera, Groves contributed to more than 60 local, state and national awards won by the office, including two regional Lone Star Emmy awards. He also oversaw the migration of SATV, the City’s governmental access channel, from standard to high definition as programming on the channel was revamped to reduce the number of meetings and to increase original content. Groves was also integral in the redesign of the City’s website, the growth of the City’s Facebook page to 40,000-plus followers, the modernization of audio-video equipment in the City Council chambers and the construction and equipping of a TV studio.
He was a 2013 honoree in the local 20 Under 40 program that honors rising young leaders in the community. Most recently, the promotional video “Greetings from San Angelo, Texas” won first place in the Promotion of a City/County category of the annual Government Programming Awards competition of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers of America. Groves produced this video with colleague Lorelei Day.
Maja K. Haium earned her BA from Colorado College, her MA from the University of Chicago and her JD from Lewis & Clark. She initially practiced water law in California before returning to Oregon, where she works as a Deputy City Attorney for the City of Portland. Her portfolio includes telecommunications, utilities, public art, water and sustainability. She also provides advice on public meetings, public records, ethics and elections. She enjoys adventures, but is ready for a break from 2020 and 2021.
Rondella Hawkins is the Telecommunications & Regulatory Affairs Officer for the City of Austin. Her office has direct responsibility over private utility rights-of-way franchise agreements with telecommunications and natural gas distribution companies. Her office is responsible for private gas and electric utility ratemaking to ensure rate increases are just and reasonable.
She is responsible for implementing the City’s Digital Inclusion Strategic Plan to ensure that all Austin residents have the information technology capacity needed for civic and cultural participation, employment, and access to essential services. Her office also manages a technology grant program as well as contracts to operate public access computer training centers.
She oversees the administration of the public access television management contract and coordinates with other Austin educational and government channels. Her office provides staff support to the Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission. Her office manages the City’s credit access program (CAB) which includes the registration and oversight of businesses that provide payday loans and/or auto title loans to consumers.
She is actively engaged on legislative and policy issues related to broadband communications, maintaining local rights-of-way authority, and digital inclusion. She serves as Immediate Past President of the Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (TATOA). Rondella is a former Board member of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) and was selected as NATOA’s 2010 Member of the Year and she received the NATOA Life Member award in 2014.
Carmen Hauck has worked for the Northern Dakota County Cable Communications Commission in Inver Grove Heights, MN, as a Government Producer, since 2003. During that time, she has helped produce hundreds of hours of Government programming, including City Government meetings, Election coverage, and many other shows with elected officials, from School Board members to State officials. She also produces the show, Community Parks Connection, and is a reporter and photographer for the award-winning news magazine, Insight 7. In addition to video production work, Carmen also helps manage social media applications and the Town Square Television website at www.townsquare.tv, and she is a Board member for NATOA’s Minnesota chapter, MACTA (Minnesota Association of Community Telecommunications Administrators).
Joanne Hovis is a nationally recognized authority on broadband markets and on the evolving role of public–private partnerships in the provision of communications services to the public. For more than 20 years, she has directed CTC’s consulting services related to strategic planning, market analysis, business modeling, grant funding,and financial analysis for localities, states, and tribal governments throughout the country.
Joanne leads the CTC teams that advise the states of Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, and New Mexico; the cities of Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle; and the statewide broadband networks in Colorado, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. She also leads CTC’s advisory work regarding federal broadband funding programs.
Joanne has testified before Congress on rural broadband, broadband public‐private partnerships, and the digital divide, and has provided expert presentations to the Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, and other national organizations.
Joanne is also CEO of the Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC) and a member of the boards of directors of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Consumer Reports, and the Fiber Broadband Association. She Is a former president of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA).
Megan Hutton is the General Manager of Pierce County Television and the Rainier Communications Commission. Prior to that role, she was the Executive Producer at PCTV, overseeing video projects and shows for seven jurisdictions. Megan came to PCTV in 2004 with an Emmy from KING 5 Evening Magazine and a Bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Pacific Lutheran University. She serves as Secretary on the Executive Board for WATOA.
Megan’s favorite hobbies are gardening and visiting national parks with her family.
Steve Israelsky is President of Cablecast Community Media which is focused on broadcast automation solutions including channel playout, live streaming, video on demand and OTT distribution with a focus on public, government and educational access channels.
Marva Johnson is the Group Vice President, State Government Affairs, for Charter Communications South Region.
In this role, Marva oversees state government affairs, regulatory, local franchising, state legislative matters, and implementing strategies for government and community initiatives for the nine Charter states across the Southern
United States. Marva joined Charter Communications in 2016 with a focus on state Government Relations throughout the Southeast including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Prior to Charter, Johnson was Corporate Vice President, Government and Industry Affairs with Bright House Networks. In 2006, she joined the company as a key leader that brought the company’s competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) forward from concept to operational reality. Johnson’s tenure in the technology-driven industries includes prior service in numerous legal, regulatory and policy roles. Before joining the Bright House Networks team, Johnson worked at Supra Telecommunications (a subsidiary of FDN Communications) where she was General Counsel, and previously served as Vice President and Senior Counsel for KMC Telecommunications, where she oversaw KMC’s regulatory, legislative and industry relations at both the state and federal levels. Johnson has also held auditing, marketing, and product development positions with Arthur Andersen, BellSouth, and MCI.
Currently, Johnson serves as the vice chair of the Florida State Board of Education, on the Enterprise Florida board, and as the Immediate Past Chair for the Global Board of Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT). She served as a member of Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission, the Board of Directors of the Florida Virtual Schools of Florida, and the Advisory Board for Rollins College’s Crummer Center for Leadership Development.
Throughout her career, Johnson has been passionate about creating educational opportunities that enable success for every child. As a result, she received the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council’s Champion for Digital Equality Award in recognition of her extraordinary leadership and advocacy in helping bridge the digital divide in education for low-income families. She has received many other accolades, including being named one of Cablefax: The Magazine’s “MSO Executive to Watch” and one of the “Top Women in Tech.” Johnson has been recognized numerous times as a member of Cablefax’s Most Influential Minorities and the Most Powerful Women in Cable.
Johnson received her J.D. from the Georgia State University College of Law, a Master of Business Administration from Emory University’s Goizuetta Business School, and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Georgetown University. She is admitted to practice law in Georgia.
She resides in Winter Garden, Florida with her husband and two children.
I’m currently a Multimedia Producer at King County Television in Seattle, Washington. Over the past ten years I’ve spent a lot of my time in the field producing short-form, nonfiction videos. I’ve helped produce a narrative documentary series about fascinating people in Alaska, co-created a quirky history series for the PBS affiliate in Seattle, and pulled my hair out over animated explainers about housing and urban design. Maybe you’ve seen my work on the PBS Newshour, The Atlantic, or The Kelly Clarkson Show? Anyway, always happy to chat about making videos and telling stories.
Jonathan Kirsch is the Digital Media Services Manager for the City of Lakewood. He oversees the city’s PEG channel and produces video content for the channel, as well as the city’s website and social media outlets.
Jonathan started his video production career 25 years ago as a TV news reporter for several CBS affiliates. From there he traveled the world creating sales and marketing videos for a Denver-based wine distributor before entering the municipal arena 10 years ago where his videos have won several NATOA GPAs.
Alex Klinger is the Video Production Coordinator for the City of Kent, WA. Alex leads the video department and the Kent TV21 public broadcast channel. Since joining the City at the end of 2019, he’s gained national recognition for his cinematic style, visual storytelling, and unique video production techniques.
Before joining the City, Alex worked as video producer for a creative agency – working for a variety of businesses and clientele ranging from promotional videos, product and marketing material, weddings, educational and informational resources, and so much more. He strives for finding new techniques that elevate storytelling while adding a unique perspective.
Dr. Jonathan Kramer, a NATOA member for over 30 years and its only twice Member of the Year, as well as a founder of the SCAN Chapter, is the Senior Partner of Telecom Law Firm PC (TLF) and Managing Broker at Telecom Realty Corp. (TRC). TLF is a law firm serving local governments throughout the US in connection with wireless, broadband, fiber, and cable matters. TRC provides wireless site property management services to local governments and corporations. He and his firm have advised thousands of governments on wireless deployment law, technology, telecom planning in the PROW and on public property. Dr. Kramer has served as an expert witness and/or litigation advisor in over 40 telecom cases. On behalf of local governments, TLF has evaluated and processed thousands of cell site applications for macrocells, small cells, 6409(a) projects, standby generators, and unpermitted site expansions and unauthorized equipment installations.
More on Jonathan, including his CV, is online at https://tinyurl.com/jlkramer/
Daniell Krawczyk founded Municipal Captioning Inc. while at NATOA 4 years ago, and because of this the company is focused entirely on meeting the needs of cities and counties. Prior to focusing on helping cities decrease their liability and increase accessibility, Daniell worked for Tightrope, LiveU, and TelVue, and came to NATOA multiple times for each of those companies. It could be said that coming to NATOA is an addiction for Daniell and the company is a way for him to feed the monkey on his back. ie. this summer he had a budget to split between getting office space and making custom swag for NATOA, and he split it 50/50 between the two line items.
Daniell has 2 small children and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, and is celebrating his 20th year in PEG this month (beginning in September ‘01 in Grand Rapids, Michigan). Daniell is already looking into booking an in-person party for NATOA 2022 in Denver, CO and is excited and thankful for this virtual platform in the meantime.
Tillman L. Lay is a partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm of Spiegel & McDiarmid LLP. He specializes in representing local governments and other public sector clients on broadband, telecommunications, wireless siting, cable television, public safety, rights-of-way franchising, tax, property law, constitutional law, antitrust and other federal law matters. He has represented clients before the FCC, Congress, and the courts, including the Supreme Court and several Courts of Appeals. He represented a coalition of local government clients in City of Portland v. United States, 969 F.3d 1020 (9th Cir. 2020), consolidated appeals of the FCC’s recent orders relating to small cell facilities. He represented a coalition of local government and PEG interests in City of Eugene v. FCC, 998 F.3d 701 (6th Cir. 2021), one of several appeals of the FCC’s recent order concerning cable franchise fees. He also represented the National Hispanic Media Coalition in Mozilla Corp. v. FCC, 940 F.3d 1 (D.C. Cir. 2019), the consolidated appeals of the FCC’s Restoring Internet Freedom Order. He has testified before a House Subcommittee on behalf of National Association of Counties, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities and the Government Finance Officers Association concerning legislation that would have imposed a moratorium on state and local cell phone taxes. He also represented those associations in negotiations that led to the Mobile Telecommunications Sourcing Act of 2000, 4 U.S.C. §§ 116 et seq.. Mr. Lay was NATOA’s 2006 Member of the Year. He received his undergraduate degree with highest honors from the University of Tennessee, and he is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Michigan Law School. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable John C. Godbold, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Gerry advocates against preemption of public and private property owners’ rights before state and federal legislative bodies and before corresponding regulatory agencies.
Lederer is a registered federal lobbyist and has both public and private sector advocacy experience protecting property rights and police powers when dealing with cable, small cell, broadband and telecommunications franchising and renewals.
Gerry is one of the nation’s leading authorities on marketplace solutions for deployment of small cells and other wireless technologies, as well as deployment of municipal broadband and WiFi services.
Gerard Lavery Lederer’s unique background as a nationally recognized telecommunications, cable and small cell lawyer combined with his experiences as a registered federal lobbyist provides clients unparalleled service in seeking both legislative and transactional solutions. Prior to joining Best Best & Krieger LLP as a partner in the Municipal Law practice group in Washington, D.C., Gerry was an attorney with Miller & Van Eaton, a highly regarded local government rights of way law firm.
Understanding the Marketplace
Gerry is one of the nation’s leading authorities on marketplace solutions for the seamless integration of cable and wireless technology into communities. He authored “Critical Connections” and “Wired for Profit,” two leading guides on the integration of telecommunications technology in the built environment. He developed the first model license agreements for access to buildings and rooftops to promote cooperative relations between telecommunications service providers and property owners, while protecting both parties’ interests. He has facilitated the negotiations on some of the leading cable franchise and small cell agreements in the nation.
A Voice for Local Government
Gerry advocates for public and private property owners regarding issues of law and policy arising from federal and state communications legislation and regulation. Gerry serves as legislative counsel and lead Washington advocate for TeleCommUnity, a collection of local governments dedicated to ensuring respect for local rights in federal legislative and regulatory activity. He has also led numerous FCC coalitions of local governments on cable and wireless regulations.
Since arriving in Washington, D.C. in 1985 as the City of Philadelphia’s Washington advocate, Gerry has served as Washington legislative counsel to a number of local governments and agencies, including as lead advocate for local governments on infrastructure issues and as general counsel of the United States Conference of Mayors. He has also served as executive director of advocacy and research advancement for the Building Owners and Managers Association, International and executive director of government affairs for the United States Telephone Association. Prior to his career in Washington, he served as the chief deputy city commissioner for the City of Philadelphia. This position oversees the city’s voter registration and election day. He is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors from whom he has received numerous Ovation Awards and was the 2011 NATOA Member of the Year.
Education:
Temple University Beasley School of Law, J.D.
Haverford College, B.A.
Bar Admissions:
District of Columbia
Maryland
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Recent Awards :
* The Best Lawyers in America®, Communications Law, 2021, 2022
* Outstanding Associate Member, International Municipal Lawyers Association, 2020
Member of the Year Award, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, 2011
Jennifer Li joined the City of Portland, Oregon’s Office for Community Technology in 2010. As the utility program manager, she and her staff are responsible for managing long-term access to the public right-of-way, most often through the grant of franchise agreements. She leads franchise negotiation and administration of telecommunications, wireless, electric and natural gas, pipeline and other franchise agreements on behalf of the city. She also leads the bureau administration of the city’s privilege tax and the utility license fee. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College. She is looking forward to a return to normalcy after the pandemic so she can continue her volunteer work with the Oregon Humane Society.
Mike is a principal in the firm Guynn, Waddell, Carroll & Lockaby in Salem, Virginia. He principally represents local governments and public service authorities, including broadband authorities. His specialties within the field of local government are infrastructure, economic development, land use, and public finance. This has led him to work on a variety of public-private partnerships both in the field of internet and telecommunications, and in traditional utilities such as water, sewer, and electricity and on economic development and redevelopment projects. He advises and represents localities in projects and litigation throughout the state both on how to accomplish projects in accordance with proper legal processes, and seek approvals and defend their decisions in state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
Mike serves on a part-time basis as County Attorney for Botetourt County and Town Attorney for the Town of Bedford, both in the Roanoke region of southwest Virginia. He also is general counsel to the Southside Network Authority in the Hampton Roads area and the Franklin County Broadband Authority in the Roanoke area, and has acted as special counsel to other localities and broadband authorities as far afield as far Southwest Virginia and the Northern Neck.
Mike is a member of the Local Government Attorneys of Virginia, is Secretary to the Board of Governors of the Local Government Section of the Virginia State Bar, is a member of the Virginia Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, and is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers.
Mike Lynch transitioned from public policy and public affairs into an IT/communications job just as the Telecommunications Act of 1996 became law. Twenty-five years later, he’s still doing the same job and he loves it…. because it changes every day!
Since the enactment of the Telecom Act of 1996, Mike Lynch has been the cable guy for Boston, Massachusetts, heading up the City’s network expansion, cable & broadband activities for over two decades full of innovation and transition. He’s responsible for cable franchising, small cell licensing, city fiber deployment & network development, (PEG) access programming and funding. Mike works closely with the Boston Neighborhood Network Media Group and Tech Goes Home, both digital equity initiatives in Boston.
As Immediate Past President of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) and a member of the National League of Cities (NLC) IT Policy Committee, he works with local government cable and PEG folks across the country, helping cities, towns and counties address issues including Wireless Siting, broadband planning, cable licensing, and other policy issues at the nexus of local government telecom, communications, and right-of-way policies.
Mike’s active in local telecom and community issues through the Public Technology Institute, Alliance for Community Media, Mass. Municipal Association, MassAccess, Mass. Chapter of NATOA, Madison Park Vocational Tech High School’s Advisory Board and the WGBH Community Advisory Board. On the community level, he volunteers at Main Streets, Boston Latin School Association, the Roche Community Center, Boston Centers for Youth and Families and the Massachusetts Open Water Swimming Association. Mike’s married with 2 adult children. He’s an avid open water swimmer and an average sailor.
Robert (“Tripp”) May, Partner, specializes in telecommunications infrastructure, and represents both public agencies and private landlords in regulatory and transactional matters.
Tripp advises local governments and public agencies on the scope of local authority in wireless facilities siting, on private property, public land and in the rights-of-way. He drafts and revises wireless ordinances, and counsels government staff and officials on federal and state rules for permit application processing. In addition, Tripp assists local governments develop permit applications, planner reference guides and other non-legislative materials for compliance with new federal regulations.
His transactional practice focuses solely on representing landlords — both public and private. Tripp negotiates and drafts leases, licenses, easements, assignments, pole-attachment agreements, and other transfers related to wireless and other telecommunications infrastructure. He also assists landlords administer, enforce and amend existing infrastructure agreements.
Tripp regularly speaks on panel discussions for governments, planning associations, wireless associations and at wireless facility conferences. He also writes articles on the subject for newspapers, trade press and other publications. He devotes significant pro bono efforts to represent public agencies in federal wireless proceedings. This year, he co-authored the amicus curie brief in Montgomery County v. FCC on behalf of the League of California Cities et al. In 2014, Tripp was recognized by the States of California and Nevada, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (SCAN NATOA) as its Member of the Year for his outstanding pro bono federal advocacy on behalf of California local governments in Federal Communications Commission rulemaking proceedings.
Mr. May is admitted to practice by the State Bar of California.
Jodie Miller has been the Executive Director at Northern Dakota County Cable Communications Commission (“NDC4”) and Town Square Television since 1993. Miller started there as Education Coordinator in 1989.
NDC4 and Town Square Television operate the local community media station serving the seven cities of Northern Dakota County, just outside St. Paul, Minnesota. The professional staff of 13 partner with many volunteers, independent contractors and organizations to provide essential LOCAL television and online programming, including sports, music, arts, local government, environment, multi-faith, education, news, election and voter info, chambers of commerce, tourism, and complete coverage of community activities and events. They operate a state-of-the-art multi-media studio and production truck. They also provide hands-on training and facilitation for those who wish to make their own videos. Programs are televised on Comcast cable with five SD and three HD PEG channels, and web streamed live and on-demand at www.townsquare.tv. Programs are also distributed on Facebook and Vimeo.
Miller is a past NATOA Board President and past leader of NATOA’s Policy & Legal and Communications Committee, and was honored to be added to the prestigious list of NATOA Life Members in 2020. She co-chairs the Legislative Committee of NATOA’s Minnesota chapter MACTA, and has served as a MACTA board member and President. Miller also sits on the League of Minnesota Cities Telecomm Task Force, and has served on several non-profit boards of directors in the NDC4 service area over the past 30 years.
Heather Mills leads CTC’s Grant and Funding Strategies team, which develops strategies and delivers tactical application and post‐award support to CTC’s public sector clients. She has authored guidance on new and emerging federal broadband funding programs that is highly regarded by industry colleagues. With more than a decade of experience in project management and data analysis, she has exceptional skills in long‐term strategic planning for broadband funding; execution of complex tactical funding plans; and grant administration, budgeting, and financial reporting.
At CTC, Heather guides clients on strategic funding for network planning, as well as applying for and complying with the requirements of major federal broadband and communications grant programs, including NTIA grants, ARC/EDAPOWER grants, USDARUS grants (such as ReConnect and Community Connect), and New Market Tax Credits. She has particular expertise in the Federal Communications Commission’s E‐Rate program, Lifeline program, and Healthcare Connect Fund.
Heather and her team supported several clients in the past year with applications to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s EDA Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance program for funding related to COVID relief; she guided clients in many parts of the country through the consultation process with EDA regional representatives. Under Heather’s management, the CTC team supported clients with strategy and navigation of the USDA ReConnect application process through Round 1 and Round 2, which required detailed understanding of the application, the application portal, and applied strategy. Heather and her team are currently advising clients on new federal funding programs such as the NTIA’s COVID stimulus programs, the FCC’s Emergency Broadband Benefit and Emergency Connectivity Fund, and EDA’s recently announced ARPA programs, while keeping a close eye on and providing singular analysis for clients around funding programs created by the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act and the American Rescue Plan Act.
Alex is Vice President & State Legislative Counsel of NCTA – The Internet & Television Association. Alex is responsible for NCTA’s state legislative portfolio, analysis of state communications and technology policy and legislation, and for the association’s advocacy and partnerships with various state and local regulatory and intergovernmental organizations. Previously, he was at the Federal Communications Commission, Wireline Competition Bureau, Telecommunications Access Policy Division, most recently as Deputy Division Chief. He is a graduate of William & Mary Law School and Kenyon College.
Sam is an experienced Computer Software & Telecommunications sales leader. He has more than 15 years of successful sales management in Enterprise and Government vertical markets.
Sam is closely involved in building industry leading sales organizations while developing go to market strategies.
Legislative Director, Information Technology and Communications
Federal Advocacy, National League of Cities
Angelina Panettieri is Legislative Director, Technology and Communications for the National League of Cities, which represents the nation’s 19,000 cities, towns, and villages. Angelina manages telecommunications and technology issues for NLC on Capitol Hill, the FCC and other federal agencies. Prior to serving in this role, Angelina worked in grassroots advocacy and public affairs for a variety of Washington, DC-based associations. Angelina holds a bachelor’s degree in government and a master’s in public administration from George Mason University.
Brian Paris is currently the Multimedia Producer for the City of Champaign, Illinois. In this roll he manages the day-to-day operation of the City’s award-winning government access channel and creates engaging and informative audio, video, and multimedia productions. In addition to producing live coverage of the City Council, Board, and Commission meetings, Brian also produces three City podcasts, special event coverage, and promotional and educational pieces highlighting the people and services of the City of Champaign.
Brian got his start at WILL TV, the PBS member station affiliated with the University of Illinois, where he produced music shows and local documentary programs. He also worked in various support and production roles for Northwestern University’s branch campuses in Doha, Qatar, and Washington, DC.
Over 20 years of managing experience in Telecom, leading organizations that engineer, construct and operate fiber networks.
Currently the West Region Construction Director for Crown Castle, leading the organization responsible for building thousands of new route miles of fiber supporting Small Cell & Enterprise customers. Previous experience with Qwest/CenturyLink in multiple Operations, Engineering/Construction leadership roles.
Elisabeth Perez serves as the Director for the Office for Community Technology for the City of Portland, OR. Elisabeth served as a Senior Policy Advisor and later as Operations Director for Mayor Ted Wheeler, where she focused on emergency management, resilience, innovation, and technology. She has been instrumental in the development of City policy regarding right-of-way protections and privacy and information protections. Over the last year and a half, she was able to use her combined background in Emergency Management and Digital Equity to work with a diverse group of stakeholders to provide technology kits-devices, internet, and training-to community members during the COVID-19 pandemic. She earned her Master of Science in Disaster Resilience from Tulane University and applies the principles of community resilience in her daily work. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring Oregon, traveling, and relaxing with her dog, Zoomy.
Victor is the founder, President and CEO for VZP Digital since its inception in July, 2016. He was the former COO for VITAC/Caption Colorado. VZP Digital provides accessibility services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Blind, and Non/Limited-English communities by providing closed captions, translations, interpreting and audio description services for the ever-growing need for equal access.
Victor is also the Patent holder for On-demand Captioning and Translations (Patent No.: US 10,582,271 B2, Issued: March 3, 2020) – VZP REACH
Victor is a former Cable TV Executive with experience in business operations, I.T., Engineering, Broadcast and cable distribution, TV production, OTT, internet and mobile platforms. He is a dynamic and respected leader with an effective blend of EQ, relationship building, helping achieve diverse accomplishments for a variety of large organizations such as NBC Universal, Comcast, Liberty Media, Starz!
Karen Perry is a Senior Policy Analyst with the National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s (NTIA) BroadbandUSA program at the U.S. Department of Commerce who has worked on broadband from a range of perspectives: nonprofit, commercial, philanthropic, and governmental. Ms. Perry was a contributor, author, or editor three major national broadband policy reports: The National Broadband Plan (Federal Communications Commission’s 2010), the Broadband Opportunity Council Report (NTIA 2015), and the American Broadband Initiative Milestones Report (February 2019). As a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Karen worked to improve broadband in public libraries and build advocacy capacity for librarians. She has over twenty-five years of experience in telecommunications, working with Bell Laboratories, AT&T, and related firms. Karen holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) from the University of Washington and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University. Karen is passionate about developing local solutions that leverage data, address community priorities, and are powered by partnerships. Karen lives in Seattle Washington.
Matt Peterson is a multiple Emmy & NATOA award-winning producer with nearly 10 years of experience working in television. Since 2016, Matt has been with AuroraTV in Aurora, Colorado doing everything from shooting to writing, editing and anchoring. Before coming to AuroraTV, Matt was a sports anchor for the ABC affiliate, KSFY-TV, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Director, Producer, Shooter, Editor at Seattle Channel.
Ed has a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He has lived in Austin for 40 years since entering the University of Texas in 1981. Ed’s been with the City of Austin, Public Works Department for 35 years and has designed a variety of civil projects such as streets, bridges, drainage, water and wastewater. He’s been in Street & Bridge Operations for the last 28 of those years. Ed consults on issues affecting the City’s street, bridge, and sidewalk infrastructures; specifications; criteria; and provides technical support for the pavement design programs. He is actively involved in the Pavement and Bridge Management Systems and development of an Asset Management program for Public Works.
Dennis Rafftery started his career in community television in 1997 at QCTV as a Photographer and Editor for the News and Sports Departments. He moved on to work in the News Department at KSTP, an ABC affiliate, as a Production Assistant and Editor. From there Dennis joined Town Square Television/NDC4, where he started as a Producer and now has managed the Government Channels for the past 20 years and has over 22 years with the organization. Dennis loves great storytelling and has a passion for it! He produces and contributes stories that he shoots and edits for their award-winning News Magazine show INSIGHT 7. He has attended two NPPA news photographer week long workshops, AKA “Boot Camps”. He and his team have won numerous NATOA GPA Awards and he has been nominated for around 20 Upper Midwest Regional Emmy Awards. He was honored to receive NATOA’s Brian Wilson Memorial Award for Programming Excellence in 2016. Outside of work Dennis enjoys fishing, spending time with his family, and a good laugh.
As Howard County’s Cable Administrator, Donna Richardson oversees the cable operators’ performance, investigates and negotiates resolution of cable related complaints, manages the Public, Education and Government Grant Funding for Howard County’s PEG Channels and monitors legislation that may impact rights-of-way authority.
When Donna became the Cable Administrator, she joined NATOA and CAPATOA, the Regional Chapter that serves the Baltimore, Washington, DC and Virginia areas. She’s proud to begin her second term on the NATOA Board and has been a moderator for E-NATOAs and prior Annual Conferences.
Tonya Rideout is the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA), providing support to local governments nationwide on communications issues impacting local government interests. She has over 20 years of nonprofit trade and association experience with expertise in association marketing, industry relations and strategic direction.
Previously, Tonya was the Executive Director of the Virginia Wineries Association where she worked on state and local regulatory issues and advocated on behalf of Virginia wineries for distribution, production and education. She was also the Executive Director of the Solar Smart Roof Alliance, promoting policies and initiatives surrounding the use of sustainable roofing systems. She has worked with more than a dozen professional and membership associations on growth and retention programs, communications and strategic direction. She is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University and an avid PSU football fan.
Brian Roberts is the Senior Policy Analyst with the City and County of San Francisco’s Department of Technology, where he advises the City’s Chief Information Officer on connectivity and information technology policy. Mr. Roberts has worked for the past 22 years as the City’s policy lead on a variety of initiatives, including San Francisco’s effort to provide affordable housing residents with free internet service, negotiating right-of-way and fiber agreements; community broadband feasibility studies, and overseeing community media agreements. Mr. Roberts had served as Mayor Edwin Lee’s designees on the Federal Communication Commission’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. Brian is currently President of the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors. In 2017 he was named San Francisco Digital Leaders Awards “Digital Champion”. Prior to joining the City of San Francisco, Brian worked as a regulatory analyst for the California Public Utilities Commission.
Michael Russo has been with the City of Calabasas in Los Angeles County since June 2019 as Communications Director. He oversees all video content for the city’s websites and PEG channel, information technology, as well as external and internal communications. Prior to that, Michael spent 18 years as Multimedia Manager at the County of San Diego.
Michael’s background is in broadcast news where he spent 16 years in San Diego radio and television as a reporter and anchor – first at the CBS and ABC radio affiliates, then at NBC San Diego, the NBC-owned television station.
Michael has also taught multimedia news writing at San Diego State University.
Michael holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism from San Diego State University, and a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix. He has won numerous awards, including five regional Emmys, two “Golden Mikes”, and several awards from the San Diego Press Club and the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2020, Michael’s team at the City of Calabasas won NATOA’s Overall Excellence honor, as well as in 2013 with his team at San Diego County. In 2015, Michael received NATOA’s Brian Wilson Award for Programming Excellence. Michael and his wife Karen – an interior designer – have an adult son named Sean.
Tim has an international, broad and diverse background across nearly 20 years of experience in the telecommunications and broadband markets. Well known across the fiber industry, Tim has spoken at various industry events sharing his passion and knowledge related to the benefits fiber infrastructure can bring to local communities. Tim enjoys engaging with local governments, finding a balance between the interests of public and private sectors, and then defining these through Public Private Partnership engagements.
Tim has a sound business and technology understanding with both product, operations, and carrier experiences across various broadband network engagements that include both the private and public sectors.
Tim led Centennial, Colorado’s deployment of their 50 mile dark fiber city-wide backbone, ensuring it can serve both city and community anchor institution needs, as well as securing private sector carriers to lease fiber and deliver new and exciting services to residents and businesses across the City.
Additionally, Tim has been the prime consultant for Boulder, Colorado leading the design, implementation and oversight of their current 65 mile fiber network around the city. Construction is currently nearing 50% complete with final network completion expected before the end of 2022.
Breckenridge, Colorado currently has Tim engaged as their network owner’s representative as they look towards their second year of fiber network growth across the mountain town and Tim also is actively guiding the “4 Towns” feasibility study for 4 smaller communities in northern Colorado who will determine their fiber path forward in Q4 2021 once all analysis and options are complete.
Outside of Colorado, Tim works with the City of Palm Desert, California, as they define their best approach to stimulating fiber and improved broadband options throughout the city’s boundaries.
Sean is a partner at Keller and Heckman, LLP. Sean represents clients nationally on a wide range of communications matters including broadband, pole attachments, wireless small cell siting, fiber leasing, regulatory compliance, barriers to community broadband, municipal broadband initiatives, grant funding, and public-private partnerships. His clients include municipal and government entities, and utilities, as well as national and state utility associations, and numerous public and private entities throughout the U.S. Sean collaborates with multi-disciplinary teams of legal, financial, engineering, and other technical experts, assisting local government and other clients in making comprehensive telecommunications and broadband plans.
Sean is a graduate of the National Law Center at George Washington University, and hold the AV preeminent peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Sean A. Stokes | Keller and Heckman (khlaw.com)
Sean A. Stokes
Partner
Keller and Heckman LLP
tel: +1 202.434.4193 | fax: +1 202.434.4646 | stokes@khlaw.com 1001 G Street NW, Suite 500 West | Washington, DC 20001
Trinity Thorpe-Lubneuski – leads administration for Internet Essentials, the nation’s largest broadband adoption program. Trinity received her bachelor’s degree from Pepperdine University and earned a master’s degree in Social Work and Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Internet Essentials team Trinity held position is government affairs (Comcast), data, strategy, and accountability (The School District of Philadelphia), and policy research (The Pew Charitable Trusts). Her work in communications, research, and policy has impacted the lives of students, foster youth, and low-income families nationally.
Trinity is a board member of Concilio de Organizaciones Hispanas in Philadelphia and is the Chair of the Tech Advisory Board for Older Adults Technology Services, an affiliate of AARP. She is an alumnus of Harvard University’s Strategic Data Project Fellowship and is a recipient of the National TRIO Achiever award.
Ray Tiley works at Tightrope Media Systems as the Head of Engineering for the Cablecast Community Media Division. Ray got his start in Community Media working as an IT Manager for Community Television Network, now Portland Media Center in Portland, ME where he now sits on the board. When Ray is not writing software he loves biking, surfing, brewing beer, and beekeeping.
Joseph Van Eaton is a partner in BB&K’s Washington, D.C. office. He has been representing local governments at the negotiating table, before the FCC and in the courts for almost four decades. He was counsel to a coalition of states, local governments and associations that brought a partially successful challenge to FCC orders treating most franchise requirements as franchise fees.
Mike Wassenaar works with the Alliance for Community Media in Washington DC (www.allcommunitymedia.org), where he represents and advocates for Public, Educational and Government Access organizations and channels and the communities they serve.
Prior to working with ACM, he was Executive Director of St Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN), the non-profit community media and technology center that provides Public and Educational Access services for Saint Paul, MN. Under his leadership, the organization has doubled in size in ten years and diversified its revenue sources. Among other achievements, he helped create and lead the AmeriCorps Community Technology Empowerment Project, which provides digital literacy education to Twin Cities residents, and is a model for the Digital Literacy Corps articulated in the FCC’s National Broadband Plan.
Mr. Wassenaar has a background in Public and Community Radio, and was a reporter, news director and program director for stations in Madison, WI and Minneapolis-St Paul before his tenure at SPNN.”
Michael J. Watza is Chair of the Governmental Regulatory Practice Group at Kitch, a full service Law firm based in Detroit, with offices in Lansing, Marquette, Mt. Clemens, Chicago, Ill., Toledo, OH and Honolulu, HI.
Mr. Watza’s practice provides litigated, legislative and regulatory solutions on behalf of municipal, health care and private sector clients, concerning Legislation, Complex Litigation, Governance Issues, Telecommunications including Cable and Cell Towers, Pipelines, Energy, Insurance and Gaming. He is also a registered lobbyist.
In 2008, Michael successfully opposed Comcast’s effort to move PEG channels to the 900 digital channel range resulting in, among other things, an apology by Comcast to Congress. He also provided the legal components to the development of the 1st Municipal Broadband projects in Sebewaing, Marshall and several other communities across Michigan, as well as leading the defense of Rights of Way in the current Small Cell Siting Issues and Legislation threatening Michigan Communities.
Michael J. Watza
Kitch Drutchas Wagner Valitutti & Sherbrook
1 Woodward 24th Floor
Detroit, MI 48226
E Mail: Mike.Watza@Kitch.Com
O: (313) 965-7983 C: (248) 921-3888
Martindale Hubbell AV Rating/Super Lawyer Designation/Detroit Business Top Lawyer
Nancy Werner is General Counsel of NATOA, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors. NATOA is the premier local government professional association that provides support to members on the many local, state, and federal communications laws, administrative rulings, judicial decisions, and technology issues impacting the interests of local governments. Prior to joining NATOA, Nancy was Of Counsel at the law firm of Beery, Elsner & Hammond, LLP in Portland, Oregon, where she represented local government with a focus on communications law, right of way management and utility franchises. She has represented clients in state and federal court on issues including cable franchise renewals, telecommunications law, right of way regulations and fees and home rule authority. Nancy previously was a litigator at Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago and O’Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles. Nancy is a graduate of the University of Southern California Law School, where she was on the staff of the USC Law Review.
Glenn is a dedicated advocate of the arts in Boston and beyond. Committed to ensuring community participation in the sharing of information, the discovery of our common goals, and happiness. Glenn has been a long-time community activist and volunteer for Roslindale Village Main Street.
As General Manager of Boston’s PEG Access stations, Glenn continues his mission by assuring every community voice has a place to be heard.
Glenn hosted for 23 years the program It’s All About Arts, on Boston Neighborhood Network as well as the Radio program Beyond The Palette. As an avid musician and visual artist with a Master’s Degree from Purdue University in Education, Glenn taught art to children throughout Boston at Sacred Heart School in Roslindale and the Boy’s and Girls Clubs of Boston.
He holds seats on the Boston Arts Academy Multimedia Advisory Committee, Greater Roslindale Medical and Dental Center Board of Directors, Alliance for Community Media’s New England Board of Directors, , and The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center’ Virology and Vaccine Research Community Advisory Board of Directors. Past member of The Alliance for Community Media’s national Inclusion, Equity and Engagement Caucus. Past Board Member and President of Boston Neighborhood Network.
Specialties: Community Media,
Education, Events and Program Hosting, Recording Musician/Composer and Coordinator of Community Improvement Projects.
Shelley is the Executive Director for PSTV, the Education Channel for the School District of Philadelphia. In the last six years, she re-built a nationally recognized education channel that fundamentally operates as a student-focused media channel. She is a highly recognized collaborative agent with an extensive background in the nonprofit sector and the entertainment industry, working to bridge these industries through partnerships, technology & media.
Shelley spent 23 years working in community television running four PEG stations across the country that encompassed numerous channels. Shelley is known in the community for her outreach, mentoring, leadership, and has received numerous awards. She is passionate about amplifying individual stories and shows that by focusing a great deal of time on workforce development for youth and adults.
She also spent the last two decades working in the entertainment industry on global campaigns. Out of that experience, she founded and is the CEO of Toolbox Entertainment, the umbrella company for Strategic Consulting. Her consulting is focused on work with nonprofits and small businesses looking for coaching and development to support workforce development and apprenticeship programs across the country. Shelley currently sits on the Board of Directors for, OneDrum Foundation, Jamar Jones Institute, PhillyCam. RYCT Certified, Google Classroom Level 1 Certified, Adobe Educator Certified Level 1.
Northern Kentucky University graduate in Electronic Media and Broadcasting. Programming coordinator of Campbell Media since 2010.