Deputy Assistant Secretary of NTIA Keynotes: Better Broadband Adoption: Maximizing its Impact and Use

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Better Broadband Adoption: Maximizing Its Impact and Use

The President has set a national goal of extending broadband coverage to 98 percent of Americans, but only 68 percent of people who have access to broadband use it.  What good are fast networks if they don't attract users?  And what can we do to encourage more people to use high-speed internet? April's Broadband Breakfast Club expert panel will explore the economic implications of wider broadband adoption and how to best encourage it in demographics that have been reluctant to do so.  Join the Conversation!

Telecommunications advocates, policy-makers, journalists, top officials and the general public, all seeking to trade insights on these important issues, are invited to attend this event of the Broadband Breakfast Club, which includes full American and Continental breakfasts, for as little as $45.00, plus a modest registration fee.

This event is on the record and open to the public. 

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Event Details

Title:  Better Broadband Adoption: Maximizing its Impact and Use

Date:  Tuesday, April 19, 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. 

Where:  Clyde's of Gallery Place, 707 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

Keynote Speaker:

Anna Gomez, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Deputy Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce

Anna Gomez joined the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in February 2009. Previously, Ms. Gomez was Vice President, Government Affairs at Sprint Nextel. Prior to her work in private industry, Ms. Gomez served for 12 years in various management positions at the FCC, including Deputy Chief of the International Bureau and Chief of the Network Services Division in the Common Carrier (now Wireline Bureau. Ms. Gomez also served as the Senior Legal Advisor to former FCC Chairman William Kennard. In addition, Ms. Gomez was Deputy Chief of Staff in the National Economic Council during the Clinton Administration; Staff Counsel in the U.S. Senate for the Subcommittee on Communication, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; and an associate at the law firm of Arnold & Porter. Ms. Gomez is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University and earned her J.D. from George Washington University. She is a member of the District of Columbia's Hispanic Bar Association and the Federal Communications Bar Association.

Panelists:

Debra Berlyn, Executive Director, Project to Get Older Adults onLine

Debra Berlyn serves as the Executive Director of the Project to Get Older Adults onLine (Project GOAL), and she is also the President of Consumer Policy Solutions.  Ms. Berlyn is a seasoned veteran of telecommunications and consumer policy issues and an advocate for consumers of technology services. She represented AARP on the digital television transition and has worked closely with national aging organizations on several Internet issues, including online safety and privacy concerns.  Ms. Berlyn served as chair of the FCC’s Consumer Advisory Committee and currently is on the Board of Director’s for the National Consumers League and SeniorNet.

Thomas M. Koutsky, Chief Policy Counsel, Connected Nation, Inc.

Connected Nation is a nonprofit corporation focused on closing the digital divide. Under the NTIA State Broadband Data and Development grant program, Connected Nation is working with eleven state governments and Puerto Rico to map broadband availability, research broadband adoption, and assist broadband planning efforts.  As Chief Policy Counsel, Tom provides vision and leadership for Connected Nation’s research, policy, and planning initiatives.  Tom joined Connected Nation from the FCC, where he was a senior advisor on the National Broadband Plan task force.  Tom’s work on the Plan focused upon network infrastructure, the Plan’s Connect America Fund universal service reform proposal, middle mile connectivity, and wholesale competition. Tom is the author of several articles on broadband and competition policy published in law and economics journals.  In addition, to a stint at the FCC at the time of the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Tom has also served as vice president for Z-Tel Communications and assistant general counsel for Covad Communications Company, the nation’s first commercial DSL provider.

Wendy Mann, Director of Communications, National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA)

As director of communications for NTCA, Wendy oversees advocacy communications, marketing, publications, strategic outreach and community development.  She has served in this role for the past six years and during that time has implemented several new initiatives, mostly recently the Broadband Adoption Summit.  Wendy interfaces with rural telecom leaders to identify opportunities for new products and initiatives that support NTCA’s mission to improve the quality of life in rural communities through the advocacy of broadband and other advanced communications infrastructure and services. She has a bachelor degree in communications from St. Bonaventure University.  She earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation in 1991.  She has pursued graduate level studies at George Mason University.

Sascha Meinrath, Director, Open Technology Initiative, New America Foundation

Sascha Meinrath is a well-known expert on community wireless networks, municipal broadband, and telecommunications policy. In 2009 he was named one of Ars Technica's Tech Policy "People to Watch" and is also the 2009 recipient of the Public Knowledge IP3 Award for excellence in public interest advocacy. Sascha is a co-founder of Measurement Lab, a distributed server platform for researchers around the world to deploy Internet measurement tools, advance network research, and empower the public with useful information about their broadband connections. He also coordinates the Open Source Wireless Coalition, a global partnership of open source wireless integrators, researchers, implementors and companies dedicated to the development of open source, interoperable, low-cost wireless technologies. He is a regular contributor to Government Technology's Digital Communities, the online portal and comprehensive information resource for the public sector. Sascha has worked with Free Press, the Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis (CAIDA), the Acorn Active Media Foundation, the Ethos Group, and the CUWiN Foundation. Sascha serves on the Leadership Committee of the CompTIA Education Foundation as well as the Advisory Council for the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy. He blogs regularly at www.saschameinrath.com.

BMaynard Scarborough, Vice President of Government Affairs & National Engagement, One Economy Corporation

BMaynard Scarborough is the Vice President of Government Affairs & National Engagement at One Economy Corporation. In his role he manages the organization's government relationships at the municipal, state and federal levels. Earlier this year, BMaynard helped launch One Economy's National Technology Adoption Advisory Council (NTAAC), an 80-member, bi-partisan leadership coalition of city and state elected officials who have made increasing the levels of broadband adoption in underserved communities a leading part of their civic platforms. Additionally, Maynard is responsible for overseeing community engagement efforts and fostering One Economy partnerships across the nation. Prior to joining One Economy, BMaynard served as the Executive Director of a consumer advocacy start-up and previously he was the Director of Public Affairs for the Boston Globe. BMaynard has a BA from Morehouse College in English and Broadcast Communications.

The event will be moderated by Jonathan Charnitski, Managing Editor at BroadbandBreakfast.com. Jonathan began his career as a journalist before turning his focus to law and policy. He is an attorney licensed in Texas and the District of Columbia and has worked previously as a political reporter, in political campaign communications and on Capitol Hill. He holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Washington and a J.D. from Villanova Law School, where he focused his studies on Internet and intellectual property law and policy.

The breakfast begins at 8 a.m., followed by a discussion, beginning shortly after 8:30 a.m. and ending by 10 a.m.

The Broadband Breakfast Club is a "widely attended event" under House of Representatives Rule 25, clause 5(a)(4)(A).

PLEASE NOTE:The Broadband Breakfast Club is held at Clyde's of Gallery Place, at 707 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001, conveniently located adjacent to the Gallery Place Metro Station on theRed Line.

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For individuals outside of Washington, or those whose schedule doesn’t permit attendance in person, archived webcasts of the Broadband Breakfast Club are available for free on BroadbandBreakfast.com.

The Broadband Breakfast Club seeks sponsorship of our events from interested companies and organizations. We especially encourage organizations to sponsor a package of multiple events — such as one of our upcoming topical series. For details on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sylvia Syracuse at 646-262-4630 or sylvia@broadbandcensus.com. The Broadband Breakfast Club is produced by Broadband Census News LLC. 

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